Wildfang Chronicles:Tigerlily
by tigerlily1993
Summary: Aprill Lin Fisk, the daughter of Samantha and Wilson Fisk, always dreamed of living a normal life. So when she must run away from home at the age of five, she's suprised to find herself in Texas. When there, she finds her best friend and much more...
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer**: I don't own the X-Men or any Marvel character, no matter how much I wish I do.

**Prologue**

The sun was beginning to rise that morning. To think that I've been married only six months, now I was in the closest hospital in Portland, Oregon. I was gasping as another wave of agony. Impatiently, I looked around at the pale blue walls in my room. There were pictures of yellow flowers in stained glass vases, pictures of God and Jesus with the bible and cross. Another wave of pain flashed threw my body, _Where is Wilson!_ , I thought through clenched teeth. Wilson, my husband, should be here soon. Minutes passed before the door opened and a large figure walked in. He was a bold man with a round, but muscular face, with broad shoulders that made him look every strong. He was wearing a white tux with gold buttons and gold cuff links, with black slacks and black Italian loafers. He looked like a powerful and very important businessman. The door closed behind him, as his dark brown eyes found mine. It was Wilson at last. His honey-pine scent filled my lungs as I heard the beating of his heart. He was every worried about me, and I knew he wished that he was with me sooner than he did.

"Samantha, are you doing well my darling? I'm so sorry, I should have gotten here much sooner." Wilson asked thickly, as he came to my side. Another shot of pain flew through my body, and his face-hardened. Ever since he took the serum, it not just gave him my animal powers, but he also could feel my emotions as well. Wilson griped my hand with all of his strength, knowing that he couldn't hurt me. He kissed me lightly on my cheek with clouded eyes. I could tell that he could hear everything inside me, but my breathing was calm and heart beat faster due to his presence.

"For the moment, I'm fine. The doctor says that the twins will be due very soon. Wilson, are you sure you wish to stay?" It was hard to get the words out of my mouth as another wave started. Our two beautiful children will be born soon but, I do not wish to give Wilson pain. After all the things that we have been through to get to this moment, I wanted it to be perfect. It was clear that Wilson could hear the babies inside me. He knew that he would soon have two beautiful children to be proud of, and more importantly was that I was the mother of these kids. Wilson just smiled and nodded. He placed his free hand gently on my swollen belly. His eyes sparkled with pride as one of the babies kicked his hand. With a crack, he pulled his hand away laughing. With that, the doctor came in with a smile.

"Mister and Misses Fisk, it's time." The man said in a calm voice. His dark green eyes were focused at the clipboard on my bed. With jet-black hair in his face I was surprised to see that he could read it. The nurse hooked me onto the pain killers that I know wouldn't work at all. With my healing power there was no need for human pain killers, but I think that giving birth will be the most painful thing that I have ever done. At my side, Wilson still stood. He was reading my emotions that were going through the bond. I could tell he knew that this would hurt me greatly, but I wanted to have these kids more than anything else in the world. Wilson nodded at the emotions tied to those words. He had a soft look in his eyes as he glanced over in my direction. A smile played on his lips, with his hand brushing over my stomach once again. Wilson was trying so hard to act like a normal human being for the doctor at the current moment. It's taken us so long to learn to act like mortals, but by the look of it Wilson seems to be fooling the doctor quite well. In fact, he's carrying a normal conversation. Then, I started to think about the time that has passed, all the fighting I had to go through to be Wilson's wife. God only knows why he put me on this earth for almost a hundred year, and to think that it has only been only one year of those hundred that I have been Wilson's wife, and when Wilson himself stopped being a villain. That's when Wilson's expression hardened. He never liked talking about the past. The fact that I could have been his wife much sooner pained him a lot.

"Samantha, darling…there is no real need to think of that now is there?" Wilson questioned with round eyes. "You know just as well as me that life is behind us now…" he paused so that he could come closer to me. "…My immortal life with you and with these kids _is_ my life now. My love for you, my darling Samantha, is what keeps me living. The bond that is between us will never go away, so now it is impossible to be away from you." Wilson speaks the last part in my ear calmly, and lets all his emotions flow through our special bond. Pure, clean love and affection was flowing into me. His love for me is so strong that it took my breath away. And my love for him, took his breathe as well. A grin came to his mouth as natural attraction took over in his eyes. "I love you, Samantha," Wilson spoke deeply; while, finally, his lips traced the curve of my chin and found my mouth. His mouth was warm and filled with passion as he kissed me with a burning hunger. Wilson's massive hand cupped the back of neck bringing me closer to him, while his other hand was rubbing my belly very gently. My hands found his throat as his kiss deepened. It was as if Wilson has not eaten for two days, and I was his source of food. The doctor was in the back room the whole time as my hands ran down the back of his neck. Wilson shivered lightly at my light touch, but before long he let my lips go so he could kiss the side of my neck. He groaned at the feeling, as I gasped for breath. Wilson murmured my name, as he came for gasped for air himself. His tongue brushed my skin lightly, and made me shiver. The hand on my belly moved up to my chest and squeezed my breast. I gave a low, playful growl as his hand moved back down. Wilson gave even more of a playful purr as my hands found his collarbone. This had to stop before the doctor returns and I knew how. Even with his clothes in the way, Wilson could still feel the light trace of his collarbone. He gave a small gasp at this, but it was cut off by a deep moan. His eyes sparked with raw passion. Although he wanted to do much more he stopped himself. Wilson wanted to make sure that the birth was as painless as possible, and trying to have sex with me right now would not help. So, while both of us were still breathing really hard. Wilson stood up straight and faced the door as the doctor as he came back into the room. Wilson sounded completely normal, it was like what had just happened….never transpired, but I knew better, I could still hear his heart racing along with his emotions. He knew all too well what happened, and wished that they could have finished.

A half an hour later my muscles tightened, and pain shot through my body, and with all my strength I pushed my first-born out. Within minutes, I could hear a loud cry from the other side of the room as I fell limp gasping for breath. Wilson eyes widen as he looked at his first-born daughter, but before he could walk proudly over to the doctor to hold her, there was a loud CRASH! The window to the outside had blown open, and dust filled the air like mist. A dark figure stood in the opening, his face twisted into a snarl. The figure was muscular, and there were long weapons protruding from his fingers, almost like claws. Then, in a blink of the eye, the figure tackled the doctor to the ground, and grabbed my…. baby! Oh, my beautiful, sweet baby.

"Noooooo!" Wilson yelled, as the figure fled with the crying infant in its arms. With a burst of speed, Wilson dashed after the kidnaper. Tears rolled down my cheeks as I tried to protest, but my jaw clamped shut as a wave of pain shot through my body, and luckily it would be the last time I would feel it. With all the strength I had left, I delivered our second child. Slowly, I sat up, as I looked upon my little pink bundle of joy. It is a healthy, baby girl. She had my greenish-blue eye, but a hint darker, and a puff of light brown hair upon her head. A hint of black had shown though her light brown hair as the sunlight filtered in from the that dreaded hole. I picked her up, and held her as tight to my chest as I could, her first cries echoing in my ears. Wilson trudged back into the room a few seconds later, empty handed. He had a frown etched across his face as he looked up at me, but as soon as he caught sight of the child a huge smile swept across his face.

"So, what should we name her?" Wilson asked, with a pain in his heart. I knew that he felt that it was his entire fault that he had failed to save his first-born daughter, but we would talk about that later. Wilson was heartbroken, but he was glad to see his remaining daughter tucked away safely in my arms. He stood there for a moment admiring the child. It was as if he could not believe that this little girl was his at all.

"Come here, Wilson. Come hold your daughter." I said, as I calmly kissed the little angel in my arms. Wilson hesitated for a moment, I could tell he thought it was all a dream. "Oh come now, my love. She's yours…you just heard her inside me a few minutes ago. Trust me Willy…she and I are all entirely yours." Finally Wilson, slowly walks over to my side, and sits lightly down upon the bed. I hand her gently into Wilson's strong embrace. His eyes lit up, as he held her gently to him. The baby looked up at him with her round eyes and giggled. "See, she loves you, Wilson." I said, as I kissed his cheek. Then I started, to think of a name for my daughter.

That's when it hit me in the face. Well, seeing as it was the month of April, and the fact that I liked the month's title as a name in general, and the fact that it was my mother's middle name. I knew exactly what to name her now.

"I think we should name her Aprill…Line…Fisk." I said, with a big smile etched across my face. Wilson nodded, as he continued to stare down at his little Aprill. Wilson kissed Aprill on the forehead, and then brought his eyes slowly up to mine. He kissed me with passion, as the sunlight outside filtered once again into the room.

"She looks just like you." He sighed, as the kiss was broken when Aprill started to cry. I shushed her softly, as I gently took her from Wilson's arms. He didn't seem to want to her let go, but once he did he watched as I rocked her back and forth. "That sounds like a beautiful name, for a beautiful baby girl. You did wonderful, Samantha, darling, and I know that you will make a great mother." Wilson sighed once again, and kissed. I quickly told him through our bond that he would make a wonderful father as well. To answer me, he moaned again through our melted lips. I knew that we will be great partners, and we would show Aprill the world in ways that I never experienced when I was a child.


	2. Chapter 1: The Beginning

Chapter One

The Beginning

My name is Aprill Line Fisk, and I have to say my life isn't so bad. Well, that is when you get past all the fame and fortune my parents have. Then it's just perfect. My mother, Samantha Fisk, is a tall, fit, and beautiful young woman. She has also has long brownish-black hair, greenish-blue eyes, and perfect skin with ruby red lips. No wonder why my father loves her so much. She's also the best mom in the entire world, and on top of that she's the world's greatest super hero ever , called Wild Fang. It's no lie! Just last Friday, she lifted a whole couch just to vacuum underneath it, and knowing that she could probably knock out a whole gang unconscious in a matter of seconds .

Then there's Wilson Fisk, my father, he's just as great as my mother. . My dad is tall, strong, large- framed, bold, and has dark brown eyes. Before he married my mom, he was the evil King Pin. A big time crime boss in New York City, but it's hard to see my dad that way looking at him now, but it's true. Now that he isn't into crime so much anymore, he works with my mom as the 'Claw'. Both of my parents don't like talking much about their past, but they had tell me sooner or later

Even though my parents are famous superheros, they're also great business leaders as well. My Mom owns an animal genetics corporation called Zoo-crop. While, my dad, on the other hand, controls the powerful Fisk-corp., where they work with the latest in technology to date. Both of my parents make tons of money, but it's really easy to see why. So being the five-year-old child of two very important people, I feel that I have it pretty good. My parents have always been there for me, and they give me anything I ask (within reason and the law). But they love me just as much as they love each other, but there's just one small problem. Looking out into the city with my big dark greenish-blue eyes and my long dark brown hair colored like a shade of black in the wind. And then being the daughter of a "Pureblood," like my mom, and a "Tainted-blood," like my dad, I am pulled in many directions. For example, just last week my parents were talking about it:

"Wilson, will you stop blaming yourself, you didn't do anything wrong." Her eyes were filled with pain. She didn't look at Wilson, but she could feel it through his eyes.

"Samantha, they're right, you know. The world has all the reason to be mad at us. I just hope that my little girl isn't going to make the wrong choices." Wilson said thickly. His eyes became grave and his gaze lowered to his shaking hands. With a sigh, Samantha turned the stove off, put the pan on a different burner and faced him. Her eyes were just as grave, but where hard and serious. And, with her arms crossed over her chest she spoke.

"Listen my love, you know just as well as I do, we did what we had to. In the end, we fought for the right to be married, and by the way, you should not let Batman get to your head, dear." Samantha said with a firm voice to keep her sorrow out. She came up behind him and wrapped her arms around his neck to comfort him.

"But Sam, after all that I did to this world… what I was going to do to, I should be in jail. I will never understand why you fussed over me so much," said Wilson, as he pulled away from her grip. He stood up and walked over to the window, and gazed out over the city with pure disgust in his eyes.

"Oh, Wilson stop! You know full well why I love you. I know what you did was wrong, but in the end you…not me, made the choice to change your life. Wilson, look at what this new life has given you. Another chance as normal people, with a beautiful house, plus, you still have Fisk-crop…" she broke off for a moment and followed Wilson's gaze. The sun is just going down with oranges and gold's in the sky. Small children are playing on a playground. Parents sit on a bench and watch as there children play hide-and-go-seek. Samantha looks up at Wilson's face to see rage and pain. He looks at the families and sees what he had done to million others. Killing simple families just for getting in the way of his evil plans. Seeing people's blood spill and hearing their screams for mercy. Having no sympathy for loved ones or even small children. Samantha sighed and wrapped her arm with his, holding his hand so their fingers intertwine. With this their eyes meet.

"Wilson, you have a beautiful daughter who will always love you. She knows about your past and she dose not care. More importantly you have a wife who will love you with all her heart. No matter what you did, what you said or what other people say. I still remember the little boy who saved my life so long ago. The same boy, who told me that he would never let me fall, never let me down. In the end you held me in your arms and told me that you where done running from whom you really are." Says Samantha with all her heart. She started to hear Wilson's heart rate speed up. His eyes started to blaze with love as he pulled her into his arms. Her body pressed up to his chest with a red face. Wilson just smiled at her with his hand under her chin. Bring Samantha's face up and came closer so their foreheads touched.

"Thank you, Sam, I needed that, but you know that my past will always haunt me. But I know that you will be there to help me back to my feet again. I love you so much." Wilson's heart filled with joy as he kissed her before she could even open her mouth to reply, but he knew that she loved him just as much as he did.

My parents always had talks like this. It was as if they were eluding me. From what I have heard; it is either I will be a hero or a villain! Yeah, right, like they ever asked me what I wanted. I've never been to a real school because of my powers. I've never even had a real friend before. Sure there are people that my parents know that are "friends". No, they're always away, but not the ones that I want. To have someone who cares about me for who I am, and not just my parents, you know that's all I ask.

Tears rolled down my cheeks as the door to the balcony opened. Whipping my tears, I looked over my shoulder to see my parents. Dad, in his long black robe with his right arm around my mom's shoulders. His eyes were soft as he looked at me. Mom's hair was up in a pony tail, and she too was wearing a robe, but a long pink instead. Both had huge smiles on their faces and caring eyes.

"Aprill, dear, what are you doing up this late, and outside no less? It's way past your bedtime." replied mom with a smile as she came closer to me. To my amusement my dad was no longer smiling as she walked away.

"Oh, but mom! Can't I go with you and dad on portal tonight? Please?" she asked in the greatest puppy-dog-eyes face ever, but like she always did she shook her head and pulled me to my feet.

"Sorry, my little flower, not this time. You are still too young." My dad whispered behind us. They _always_ say that I am too young. But I know I am ready, after all I am their daughter, and more than ready to fight crime.

"But daddy, I know I'm ready!" I whined. I even looked him straight into his eyes, but all he did smile, while my mom giggled away.

"Now mind your father, Aprill. It's late, so let's get you to bed, kiddo." My mother interrupted, as she started walking towards the door. I grudgingly followed after her. I didn't say another word as I let sleep fill my eyelids. I knew that I will be grown-up enough for them, one day. And with that last thought, darkness blanketed my eyes as we wandered back inside the house.

The next day was like any other. First, my mom would take me in to the living room for home- schooling. She would give me lessons in math, English, science, social studies, and even art and music. As soon as four-thirty came around, it would be dinnertime. Then, around five, my dad would take me u[ to the roof for combat training. I enjoyed this most; it's always been my favorite part of the day. It was even better than learning about biology and animals for science class.

"Ok ,honey, time for your test. Now what I need you to do is defeat me with the knowledge that you have. Remember it's not just all about your strength. It's also about your intelligence, and the way you plan it out. Now, ready…set…go!" yelled my dad, as he took his fighting stance. He was the first to make a move, running at me full speed. I just stood there, as dad yelled his playful battle cry.

When he was about a foot away, I turned on my heel to the left. Dad's eyes widened as he yelped in surprise. With that I curved my right leg on his left leg to trip him. He crashed to the floor making dust up into the air. Before he could rise up off his knees, I pounced. Landing square on his shoulders, and I placed my hands on the side of his neck. He wasn't able to move after that. Soon he started roaring with laughter, and I soon joined in. We weren't able to stop for a minutes.

"Ha, I got you know, dad!" I screamed, in laugher as he grabbed my arm and pulled it off. In a flash, he pulled me over, and pinned me to the ground.

"Ha, now I got you, but that was good. You passed. Now that that is done let's…" he retorted proudly, but he immediately stopped and quickly glanced over his shoulder. I followed his gaze over to the far side of the room, where my mother was standing watch. I watched my mother for a moment, I noticed her eyes were shining, but there was a sad glint there as well. Slowly, my dad released me from the hold, and slowly retreated to where my mother was standing.

"Samantha, what's wrong, honey?" he asked, when he got closer. When my father had reached over to her side, she secretively leaned over and whispered something into my dad's ear. Oh, how I wish I could hear what she was saying.

"Batman is back, and wishes to speak with us." My mother called out to me, the pained look returning to her eyes. I sighed again, as my dad walked over and scooped me up into his arms, carrying me back to my room. ON the way there, he whispered into my ear that mommy and daddy wanted to talk with each other, and wanted me to stay in my room. Then he laid my down in my bed. But all I could think was '_Not Batman again_!'


	3. Chapter 2: Why Me

Chapter Two

Why Me!

It was always Bats that came to yell at mom for marrying daddy. Every month he would come and mom or dad would take me to my room. But like always I would get out of my bed and went to the living room. Morphing to the size of a fly I flow to where they were. Sure enough they stood in the middle of the living room. On the left were my parents, who stood together with hard expressions. About a foot away was a tall, dark figure. He was about five foot and five inches tall. With broad shoulder and just simply ripped. Then with a mask with a pointed ears on the top, with a chiseled face. He had a black cape, black tights, and a round oval in the center of his chest with a black bat in the center. Shadows were over his eyes but I know that they were dark brown almost black. I just came in when he stopped talking about why he came back but some how this time it was different.

"I am sorry to say but we need to talk about your daughter's future." Says Batman with a deep and to me dark, scary voice. Daddies face twisted with anger as he stared Batman down. A deep growl came from his throat but mom on the other hand was calm with hard eyes.

"Listen Bats, we have talked about this before. My little girl will not be going to S.H.I.E.L.D to train under evil eyes. Besides she is only five years old! How dare you put so much pressure on a child!" mom raises her calm voice only slightly as she to stared him down.

"Yes, what makes you and S.H.I.E.L.D think that we would hand you an innocent child." Snarls daddy through clenched teeth. He was balling up his hands and I knew that he would lung at any moment. The only thing that I wanted to know was who or what was S.H.I.E.L.D? There were many things about this talk that I did not understand. I looked back mom and saw that she was on the braking point.

"Well, I am sorry Samantha, Wilson but S.H.I.E.L.D said ether you hand her over or… I take her!" calmly says Bats as he pulls a bat-o-rang from his belt. Mommies eyes widened with fear and daddy lunged at him before Bats could get a fair shot.

At that moment I know what was going on, they wanted me! I morphed back to normal and ran to my room, listening to the yelling and snarling of the fighting. I knew what S.H.I.E.L.D wanted when I slammed my door shut. _They were going to use me, like they use any other super being!_ Running to my room I started to pack my things. I hade to get away but where did not know, for how long would I be away. It was clear that if I stayed, these people or whatever would get me. I knew that I should have more faith in my parents, but even they could not perfect, things could happen. So knowing that I had to run I grabbed pictures of my family and my favorite books. With one pillow and blanket I went to my window. Pulling back my curtness and unlocking the window, I looked over my shoulder.

"I'm sorry… I love you both." I murmured as tears rolled down my face. With out looking back I jumped out the window and flow away. I still didn't know where I was going but I knew it had to be fair away from home.

It had almost been three hours in air with not stopping. I did not stop crying but I had to land soon. Looking at my world maps book, I found the U.S.A. map and tried to see where I was. By the look of it I was heading southwest from Oregon. So it looked like I would be in the northern part of Texas soon. Well, I always wanted to go there and to the city of Sanctuary. It had a safe ring to it but there was more to it that pulled me there. Puzzled, I landed about a few miles from the city. In fact I was surprised I landed on a road at all. There was plenty of sand rolling over the black pavement. Some small trees lined the sides of this road as well. Then about a few feet away was a light? Wondering what it was I went over to see what was shining over. It was a sign like any other on the road, all green with white letters. Saying that the next city, Sanctuary, was five miles away. Than there was an add right underneath it that got my eye. It was a gold poster with blue writing. Not ever seeing something like it I tock it off and held it to the light:

John's Circus Tent

**Come One, Come All to see the **

World's Strongest Boy

3 miles away from here

Noon to eight o'clock all week

First of all, I did not know what a circus was but more then that was the boy that it was talking about. So, there was a boy that had special powers to? Well this was something that I had to find out. So, it was about three miles away as well, no problem! Looking up the road, I saw a glow of lights. With a grin on my face, I rolled up the paper and flow to the light. It was hard to think that there was someone like me out here. By the time I got to the packing lot, the lights seemed dimmer. As I walked to the front door, there was no cars ether. On the bill board to the right said the same thing as the paper in my hand. From the front of the stadium it looked like the building was in the shape oval. With out knocking I walked inside but it was dark inside with little light. Looking at a clock on the fair left wall, it was nine o'clock. Well, that would explain no cars and how run down the place looks. With dark green paint on the walls that was coming off, dust and cobwebs all over the place. The floor was made of some kind of marble that was cracking apart. But I think what got me the most was the fact that there were holes in the walls and ceiling. Small round holes that were about the size of my fist. _What could have made these?_ Still walking forward I could see a food stand. Many of the displace screens were broken with it's glass behind the counter. To the left was the men's bathroom and on the right was the woman's bathroom. The doors simply had a paper sign on them that said which was which. It was not much and I was not seeing any ticket both yet.

"Hey kid, what you think your doing here?" someone asked from behind me. With a jump, I spun around with a snarl and balled up my hands. To my surprise it was a middle-aged man looking down on me. Lifting his left hand he flipped on the lights. He was tall and line with tan, almost wrinkled, skin and dark green eyes. His hair was pulled back into a small ponytail. It was black hair with grayish-silver above his ears. With a white tang top and faded jeans, he had a hard expression that demanded answers.

"Well…uh…. I came to see about this piece of paper." Saying in a calm voice as I held up the paper. To my surprise, I was still snarling at his percents that only made him stair at me in wonder. It tock all my strength to calm down so I could pull the snarl back. With that he looked at the paper and gave me a big smile.

"So, you are another one of them special kids. Ya, the boy lives here and I am John. It looks like you will fit in well here." Said John with a thick ascent. "Fit in" I wonder what he means by that. I just smiled back at him and nodded. Well, I did want to meet this boy and need a place to stay so this will have to do.

"So, who is this "boy" and would be ok if I could stay here for a time?" asking John with a smile. He just placed his hand behind me, turned me forward, and we walked.

"Well, don't worry little lady you can stay but you need to prove your worth first." John answered calmly.

"Prove my wroth? What do you mean?" asking with my head tilted to the side. Before he answered we were at the end of the hall, John opened a door to an open field. In the center was a sand pit filled with junk cars. There were big tire tracks not only in the sand but on the cars as well. Surrounding the center were rows and rows of chairs. At the rim of the sand pit was a few feet high walls, were the lights that I followed here. So, this is what a monster tuck rally looks like.

"First, what's your name little lady?" John asks me sweetly as he tips an enviable hat.

"My name is Aprill Fisk." I said with a strait face.

"Well then Aprill, what I meant was that you got to show the world's strongest boy what you're made of. If he likes what you got, you can stay." Says John with a half-hearted smile. Why was it that this boy was so important? Before I could ask there was something moving in the sand pit. Looking closer there was a small boy coming out of one of the doors entering the pit. He looked about my age with shaggy brown hair. With broad shoulders and somewhat on the large side, he has beep chocolate brown eyes. His round face was hard as he pulled something inside. To my shock he had chains around his wrists and was pulling in a monster tuck! Wearing faded blue jeans and a white t-shirt; he was not breaking a sweat.

"Who is that down there John?" I breathed, my face and tone of voice in shock. Never had I seen someone do what that boy was doing right now. Not even my own father and he has lifted a full semi before (so that I was told). Even my mother could do that but this was only a five-year old boy. I just could not get over my surprise at what I was seeing before me.

"Well, well, well, right on time. Aprill, that is the boy you need to prove to. Good luck, you will need it." John haft laughs at his words. He walks down to the sand pit to the end of the chairs. By this time the boy had the truck half way in when he saw John.

"What is it John? Can't you see I am busy!" said the boy as he stopped in place to look right passed John and at me. My face turned hot as I meet such a beep shad of brown. His jaw had dropped and eyes were wide. "What…who on earth is that John?" the boy asked with a tone that was for me to hear. I could not help be feel suddenly sad for him, it was like he never met another kid before. But to my amusement the boy was also red but there was something about him that I could not place. But no matter how hard I thought about this emotion, nothing came to me, for I have not felt it before.

"Boy, this is Aprill Fisk and she wants to join the family." Says John as he cleared his throat for attention.

"What, John…you want me to fight her. She does not look like a fighter. Are you sure, I…I could hurt her?" he asks with now sadly grave eyes. Oh, that is too sweet, he is worried that he could hurt me. But why, we have just met each other and I don't even know his name. However, somehow those things did not matter to me. Like this boy I had not met a kid my age before, so his worried look touched my heart. Even out of all of this I was still confused about him. So out of habit my head tilted to the side in wonder.

"Well, ya, I'm sure! What, you think I'd do this without knowin what I was sayin?" John starts to laugh again and turns to me. "Now go on little lady he won't bite…much." Saying this as he lifts his hand and curves it gently to came closer. As he did this I walked closer and a little more nerves then I should be. Behind John, the boy shrugged his shoulders and removes the chains, clearly he could not fight what John said. When I joined John, he gripped my hand and pulled me closer so he could whisper in my ear. "Go on Aprill, show him what you did in the hall to me." John says with a smile on his face. I only nodded and turned to the boy. It looked like he did not want to fight me still but he was looking ready to fight. His eyes meet mine again and he smiled.

"Don't worry Aprill, I will not be to hard on you." Once again his eyes made my breath come short. Why were his eyes doing this to me? I mean I know that I had never seen eyes like that but what was this feeling. Shacking my head I griped the melt rim and flipped over the side. About a few inches from the ground, I stayed suspended there. It was hard not to laugh at the boy's experience. First his eyes were wide as he looked at the space between the ground and me. Then his jaw was dropped again and he was slowly looking me over. With a playful snarl I snapped my jaws at him. He smiled at me as he pretend to jump in surprise and we started laughing. It was hard to think that this sweet-faced boy was able to hit anyone (let alone a girl). With the laughing out of the way he was serous again.

"Ok, so you want to stay. Well just to say many have tried but none have stayed. So all you have to say is _stop_ when you had enough…" he started to say but I lunged at him and cut him off. When I was about a foot from him I turned to the left. Like a blur, he could not see me as I came behind him. With me fully behind him, I gripped one hand on his neck. I was surprised to feel thick ropes of muscle that seemed to be full of power. I had never felt such power before in my life. Knowing that both my parents and I were strong… however there was something different about him. So with my other hand I placed it on the side of his face and the playful snarl came back to my throat. With all my strength I pushed him forward and wow it took all of my strength to do it. Talk about moving when you don't want to be moved. But I managed to get him to the ground and pin him there. The boy was out of breath and his eyes were wide with surprise. In front of us, John was laughing so hard that he was on the ground.

"Well, I don't know about you boy but I like her." Howls John in waves of amusement. I smiled at John as he got up and worked his way to us. Looking back at my target, he was still in surprise but he was smiling to. I let his arms go but I keep the hand on his neck for a few more moments. Still I marveled in the power that was coming off of him. How warm his skin was under my fingertips. For those brief moments I fully understood his power and I let him go. This boy is super, super strong and it was no wonder why he was worried about hurting me. If he really wanted to or if I let him use his powers, he could have broken my arm…even my own neck. With the removal of my hand, and standing up strait I turned to John.

"Welcome to the family little lady. By the way I have never seen the boy get beaten so fast. Come on Aprill, I'll show you to your room." John was so happy he was shacking and even if I was not shacking, I was just as happy. With a giggle of approval I started to fallow. Then something clamped on to my wrist with a force that made me jump. With my feet back on the ground they froze in place as I turned to pear into the face of the boy. A sudden wave of warmth shot from his hand and ran through my arm. His grip was gentle but still had that power that I felt from his neck. At the same time I knew that if I tried to move I couldn't. Unlike when him and me where "fighting", this time he was using his strength. However, I came to the conclusion that he was not using all of his strength. I could tell that he now knows that I was strong as well, so he was being calm and was not going to do anything that would set me off. At first I was scared that he was going to beat me to the ground for what I had done. But as I looked at his face I could see some kind of wonder in his eyes. His hand did not leave my wrist and some how I did not want that grip to go away. It was warm and gave me the feeling that I was safe in that grip.

"John, can you do that later? I want to talk to her alone." His eyes became hard when he talked to John but he did not look at him. The fact is that he did not look away from my eyes for a spilt moment. With that John just shrugged his shoulders and walked off, clearly not to worried about what the boy was up to. My head still tilted to the side I looked back at him, who still was looking at my face. When John was out of earshot he let me go and took a step back. The warmth was gone as soon as his hand went back to his side. But I could still feel that sense of security as he gazed at me and I knew that he just wanted to talk.

"So…um…you are going to stay. That's cool, I hope you like it here." He stammers as he shuffled his feet in the sand. I was surprised to see him shy at what he was saying. After the feeling the power coming from his body, it was hard to think that he could shy at all. He was trying his best to be secures but I could tell that it was taking some effort. With his face turning pink and his hands behind him, he waited for what I had to say.

"Um, yes I am and thank you for the chance b…" I started to say when I just realized that I did not know his name. "Oh that's right I did not get your name." I murmured in embarrassment at the idea that I did not ask for his name sooner. It was sad to think that John did not call him by his real name. That it could have been possible that he could not have a name at all. I have never heard of such a thing, someone not having a name that would be just so sad. But he did not seem to here what I said and answered me anyway.

"Your welcome and I am glad you didn't say "Boy". The name is Fred Dukes." Fred says with a smile and sacks my hand in a greeting. I could no help but smile back as I tock his hand. Once more I could feel that warmth, that power. I had never met a mutant my age before and I had so many questions for him. I wanted to know what it was like for him to live with his powers and I could tell that Fred had just as many questions for me. After a few questions and answers between us, Fred lead me out of the sandpit, and to my new life.


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

Many Questions, a New Life, and a Hopeful Friend

After two weeks of living with Fred and John—I started to see that my parents were not coming. Well the fact is I did not want to leave. Maybe they were watching right now and could see that I was happy. Believe me, I have never been happier in my sort life, being with Fred always made me laugh and John is so wise. Anyway, soon Fred and I were play fighting and were showing each other our powers. Turned out that Fred had never heard of mutants before or people changing into animals. For me, I had never felt such power as Fred but I never told him what I felt. Well I know that one day I would have to but right now—I don't know. Why was I so unsure about telling him? It's probably because I still don't know him that well. Well whatever the reason I still feel as if I can trust Freddy with my life. So on the first day of the thread week I started questioning him a little more.

"Ok, ok…why don't we start with your history? What is a sweet girl like you doing in a place like this?" Fred asks through a laugh as we sat in the sand pit, he sped his arms out and gestured around us. We just got done with training and I won the fight again and with each session—I was starting to see how powerful Fred really is. He even told me that he was trying his hardest not to break any of my bones. At first that made me laugh, seeing that I could do the same thing to him. However, I learned fast that no matter how hard I hit him at times, it did not seem to faze him. Like I was not even punching him, rather I was just poking him. I gave him a puzzled look that made him laugh harder. The soul fact is—I have never talked to a boy my age before or any age for that matter (Well other then my father). But I was learning fast, like every thing else, that Fred had never talked to a girl his age before. So this was not easy for ether of us and it made me feel less nerves.

I said simply. "Well if it is not overuse…I ran away from home." With that statement Fred stopped laughing and he sat up strait, looking right in my eyes. Once again there was that worry and concern in his eyes that come out of thin air. We still did not know each other long and his worried looks still puzzled me. Fred even slid over so that he could sit closer to me. That is when my breath started to come sort and deeply. It was clear that Fred was breathing deeper as well—I could even hear his heart, much faster then it should be. "Fred are you ok. Your heart rate should not be that fast." I said as I place my hand on his chest. Fred knew all to well about my super scenes but he just chuckled and placed his hand over mine.

"Don't worry about me. You know just as well as me that it will do me no harm. But what I am more worried about is you. Why would you run away from home?" Fred asked thickly, sounding wise and older then just a five year old. I looked into his eyes for a long moment before I answered him. His deep brown eyes did not flinch away as he looked, unmoving, into mine. In these moments, his deep and now familiar scent brushed my cheek. Fred smells of a pine forest after it rains. With a sigh I went into my life story. I told him about my mother and father. About how they are famous for what they have done in the world—like how my father was the Kingpin. How I grow up with money and fame but wanted to have a normal life. The whole time Fred just sat there and listened to everything that I said. His eyes went wide at the description of my parents, the life that I left behind, and what made me run.

"So…wait hold on—time out. Are you trying to say that you left a good family and money to came here? Um…why on earth would you do that?" Fred is stammering and is clearly confused. I know where he is coming from but he does not fully get it. I wanted to have a better life, filled with more family and friends but not so much money. Well Fred has a point…I have great parents that love me and having money is not that bad. But there was something that I wanted more then money, even more then my great, loving parents.

"Well if you must know…I do miss my parents and I do feel bad for leaving them but…" I paused seeing that my voice was thick with emotion. "I wanted to have a life where I had I say in my future. That I could go to school like a normal kid. But I think the biggest thing I want is…"

"Aprill, Fred dinner time, come on in side." John called from the stands. He cut me off before I could finish and Fred was already up. Soon however I hope I could say what I wanted say. That sure I miss my parents and feel bad but what I really wanted…what I have always wanted was a friend. And hope that Fred will be that one friend that I have been looking for.

A few months had passed scene I proved my wroth to John and Fred. John and I were developing a father-daughter relationship. It was nice because I did not know when I would see my family again. Then ever night I would hope that they would came and get me. But I knew that if they were trying to find me…they would have got me the second day that I was in Texas. Once again however I did not want to go home. John and Fred were becoming my family now, no matter how much I missed my real parents. Even Fred was becoming my closest and first friend. He would never get over the day that I first came. John says that he has never seen Fred so happy before. To be honest I have ever been this happy before in my life. Even with the power that still comes from Fred was scary, I was still happy. In fact I was more then interested to learn more about his powers. Fred was the same way when it came to finding out what my mutant powers are. With every passing day Fred became more and more impressed with my powers. The fact was he was learning fighting moves from me. Turned out that (for his powers) he did not know to many moves if any at all. Fred said that John told him fighting moves from action movies. Even today I cannot stop laughing at John's idea of fighting. Anyway, it was December when I wanted to get them something for Christmas. In fact John gave Fred and I money to spend.

"Well, that is not like him." Says Fred as we walked out of John's office. I could not help to look at him in wonder. I mean, I know that John was weird when it came to money. He did not get business anymore but he was hopping that when Fred and me are older, we can perform. Even though I was not too happy with the idea I was more then happy to help him out.

"Why is that Fred?" asking him with my head half tilted. Fred smiled when he looked at me. He just thinks it is the funniest thing in the world when I do that and he would never tell me why. If only I could think of something about him that was so funny but I did not complain. Tilting my head was a bad habit and even I laughed at it.

"You see Aprill, me and John have not really celebrated Christmas before." Fred looks at me with grave eyes and looked away. What, they never had a Christmas before. How could Fred, at five years old, not have a Christmas? Trying not to cry, I put my hand on his shoulder and spoke.

"Why would that happen." Asking in a thick voice. I had never felt this bad for anyone in my life.

"Well, I don't know why. I remember when I was a baby that I got presents. Now that my parents don't want me any more…well John just does not want me to get upset." Said Fred thickly. There was so much pain in him and it was hard to see him this way.

"Oh…Freddy, I had no idea. Here, I tell you what. I will get you whatever you want…just name it." I sounded so desperate it was hard not to cry, let alone think that it was my voice. That I was trying so hard to make sure that he was not in pain. To think that Fred having so much power that he would get so down. Now that we were practically family I could not stand to see him on the edge of tears. But Fred's eyes light up and looked up at me.

"Really Aprill, you would do that for me?" his eyes were wide with surprise at what I said I would do. Once again it was hard to think that he would not believe what I was saying. From what John had told me about his parents. About how after they learned that he was a mutant and left him to die on the side of the road. Even sadder was that he was only two years old at the time. Now that know Freddy even more these days, I was so grateful to John for finding him and raising him. Fred is the sweetest boy that had ever met and to know what his parents did to him, well it made my skin crawl.

"Yes, I mean it. Just say it and I will give it to you." I gave him a smile and warm eyes. He nodded and looked at his hands. It went quiet for a few moments and in this silent I thought I saw a shiver pass through him. Almost like a shudder passed over his skin and that surprised me. _Whatever he wants or maybe even how to say it to _Me_ must be taking a lot of him to say. _Before I could really think about what feeling or wish in his mind could make him shiver, he broke the silence. When I spoke next, his was voice was thick and his eyes shined with unshed tears.

"Well, if I wanted anything in the world. I would want a…. friend." We both stopped walking when he said that. A friend, really, that's what he wanted. At this point I could not stop my tease from pooling over my eyes. Thinking about his past and the first day I came here, I could only think what this was all meaning to him. With no brothers, sisters, or partners and for the longest time he only had John. I could barley fathomer how courses he was being so that I would not run out on him. That idea made more tears come to my eyes. I wanted a friend just as bad as Fred and to think that I would run out on him, was a nightmare. And for the longest time I wanted to tell him that is all I wanted also. But the last time I tried John interrupted, so this was my next chance.

"Fred, you know I feel bad. I thought that I was your friend." At first I couldn't stop my giggles but Fred's headshot up when I said that. His eyes were bright and wide with his mouth open. Suddenly heavy tears were running down his face. I think that I just said the one thing that he has been waiting for his whole life. That one thing that would make him feel like he would have meaning to someone in his life. That was the same thing that I wanted more then anything, so I was crying just as much as him.

"What…Aprill do you really mean that?" Fred asks with a shacking voice. My heart squeezed to here the dull hope in his voice. Like he had heard someone say that before and it was not real. Slowly I turned my body so that all of me was facing him. Once he turned to fully face me, I raised my hands to cup his face and looked right into his eyes.

"Freddy, I am your friends and I promise you that I mean that because I want the same thing, a friend." I said the words in the most honest way ever. Teases rolled down both our faces now as his pooled on my hands. With my thumbs I tried desperately to brush them away but they keep falling. After my words flowed around us minuet or two, he rapped his arms around me, making my hands slip till they lay on his chest. He was about a few inches taller then me and as he griped me tight I found my head under his chin. I could feel the thick bands of muscle under my fingertips. Still I could feel all the power that they held. I did not think that Fred know all about his powers but he know for sure that he could do many things. His warmth covered my body as his grip around my shoulder tightened. I had never seen Fred so happy about something before in the time that I have know him.

"Aprill, thank you. I hope we are friends forever." Fred sobbed his joy and all could do was hold him. This was a boy who knows what true loneness is. What it means to not have a friend in the world. The same feeling that I have been feeling all of my sort life. Sure I had my parents to be there for me but there was something about having Fred as my friend that filled my soul.

"Ya…Freddy I know we will be friends forever, no matter what happens." Saying that made me feel so full of joy. That someone knew my pain and more so, from that day on I knew that Fred would be there for me. I would be there for him as well for many years to come. I just knew that nothing would stop this friendship.


	5. Chapter 4:Fifteen and Chosen

**Chapter Four**

Fifteen and Chosen

"Come on Aprill, let's just get this done so we can get out of here." Fred said with a hard expression. All that could be done was to roll my eyes at him. It had been ten-years scene we became friends. Fred has changed in many ways over the years. When it came to his blond Mohawk, his broader shoulders and fatter gut (hee hee, I would never tell him that). Soon after John came back with Fred and his new hair I was pretty pissed. I remember how I yelled at John for really taking Fred to get his hair done that way. Finally Fred had to pin me to the wall to calm me down. He just held me there with one hand on my shoulder. I was not happy because unlike Fred I loved his hair; there was nothing wrong with it. But Fred just simply came to me ear and said that it would grow back, that it would not be the end of the world. The biggest thing that Fred had said was that he was the same guy and nothing was going to change that. By the way he got his hair done last month and still there is not a chance that style will change. Then there was how much larger Fred got over the years. Of course, John did not see much change but I know I did and still do. All I know is that he out weights me by a few hundred pounds.

Ok, I know what I am saying and I do not like it one bit. Fred thinks that it is part of his mutation and that it was nothing to worry about. Well the good thing was his heart sounds like any other persons and never got sick. To some of my amusement he had to wear jean overalls now. Still it worried me but he was like a big fuzzy teddy bear. Still speaking of big, he was like almost a foot taller then me and I am five feet and five inches tall. But Fred still has his beep brown eyes that I love and his voice was deeper.

Then I have changed in ways to but not like what he did to his hair or his body for that matter. I still had my long dark brown hair that was almost down to my waist and clear tan skin. At fifteen, I looked pretty good in the body curve department. My eyes are the prefect mixture of green and blue. Both colors were not to light but not to dark either, at least that is what Fred said all the time. I am as strong as he is and more so but what would not shut him up was on how big my boobs are (ok so they are a C cup, big deal Fred. He just liked to make me mad at times). And if Fred really wants to be like an ass-holed guy, he will harp on the curve facture. Well it's not like it's a big deal or a bad thing that he was playfully flirting with me…it just get under my skin sometimes. More in way of being strange because Fred is more like my brother then a guy that could take me out on a date.

"Well Fred you are not in uniform either so shut up." Saying through my playful growl as I turned to him. Like always he was in my dressing room to see what was taking me. This time he was leaning on the door frame to my room with a flirty raised eyebrow that made him laugh to himself. His eyes were filled with that mucking nature of his and with a smile on his round but muscular face. I knew that he met well but sometimes he could be such a pain in the ass. With my words he was rolled his eyes, mockingly winked, and walked out. To this day I did not know why I said that we be performs. Still at the run down monster tuck we were put to work. John said he would pay us if we went in the sand pit and showed off. Well it was not that bad as I put on my Pocahontas dress. It was just that I was worried about Fred.

Very time that he would make a mistake out there the humans would laugh at him. At every show I had to run out there and shut up the stupid humans. So after this show we would tell John that we quiet and just like Fred said he wanted to get this done. With a sigh I put on my peacock-feathered headband (which by the way John does not go with the leather leopard printed dress) and had to wear it even if Fred picks on me for it. With that I got out the door to find Fred leaning up against the wall. He had his black resoling tits on. His eyes were staring down the hall when I came out. For a moment I could see that he really did not want to do this, weather it was about the humans or disappointing John, he looked sad. The sound of the door closing made him look at me and all that worried sadness faded. Fred smiled at me warmly in its place and came to my side.

"So, Lily are you ready?" asking me in a warm tone. After his mom died three years ago he called me Lily. Only because it was her favorite flower and after sometime it stayed. Even now when I ask why to call me that after what his mother and even his father did to him…he said that it suited me. With a nod from me we started walking down the hall. By the time we got to the end hall we started to wait. Yes, that is what I said we waited till we were on. The way that the line up was that the monster trucks would go first, then Fred and the finally me. It as a dumb way to put it because the audience came for Fred and me. Not see their own kind driving in a small cycle.

Any way the trucks would be in the sand pit for about haft an hour. In that time I was thinking about that thick book, waiting to be read. Fred on the other hand was enjoying the show. Typical man thinking that crushing cars with a bigger car was entrainment. Oh please I could do that and I did not need a bigger car. Fred could to but he was just yelling in approval at what the humans were doing. Even I had to be amused at the humans display.

"Come on Lily this is fun to watch. I just don't get why you hate it." Fred howls over the screaming people around us. To make sure that I know that he was talking he punched me in the rib. A dull pain shot through me as I heard a crack.

"Fred, you stupid trucker! You broke my rib…again!" snarling at him as I back handed Fred on the shoulder. The force was like a crack of thunder and if he could get broken bones, then this hit would have popped his arm from his shoulder. It took him a moment but he heard the crack and looked as if the "wound" stung.

"Damn it, Aprill! That time you hit me good. So how many times do I have to say I'm sorry?" howling in surprised pain as he looked at his shoulder. Yes, this was not the first time that he broke my bones and I hit him. The fact was that just last night he broke my ring finger (don't know how that happened). Then just last month he almost broke off my lower jaw (that time it was during training and he through his fist wrong and boom)! It took my body two weeks to heal that with about ten sum staples.

**"For right now let's just hope it heals right. I think it is the thread rib bone." Answering Fred's question as I looked at my side. I could feel this would take a day to heal. One of my powers was the fact that I could heal fast. Also, like my parents, I am immortal or can live forever. I can also morph into every animal in the world and fly without wings. All my five scenes are sensitive and it was hard not to smell Fred's blood. It looked like my long nails had pulled a piece his skin off. It was not much but it was bleeding a little. My face panicked with disgust as the smell gave me a head ach. Fred seeing that it bothered me cleaned up the cut and handed me water.**

"Look Lily I am sorry about your rib. Then the smell of my blood and just tell me went you need help snapping the bone back ok." Says Fred sweetly as he watched me drink the water. His voice was filled with pain as he started to look at my side, he saw that he hurt me again. Fred just hated it when I was in pain especially when he caused it. Slowly but gently moved his massive hand around the spot that he punched. His eyes were filled with sorrow and his lips were trembling. Ever scene we had became friends, Fred swore that he would do anything for me. He would make sure that I got everything that I needed and that I was not in pain. That was hard because I did not have Fred's thick, almost impenetrable skin that made his bones every hard to break. But Fred did try his best to keep his strength under control and I know it was hard but he did really try.

"Freddy, it's ok. It was an accordant and I will be fine but please don't be sad." Trying to say strait in his eyes but he looked away. So I put my hand on his cheek that was facing me. Fred sighed and took my hand as he rubbed his thumb in my palm. Just like always I could feel the power on his face and on his hand. His muscles were still thick and filled with the power that he had displayed on my rib. The one thing that I never wanted to change was the warmth that came from his touch. The same warmth that was starting to came back to his eyes. The same eyes that showed me how safe I was with him.

"I know Aprill…but you know this is not a bad show." Fred starts to light up as he finishes. I just rolled my eyes with a sigh and tried to take my hand back. To my surprise he did not let go and for the next ten minutes he rubbed my palm. It was not so bad, with all the warmth that was coming from him and all. This was the normal thing that happened between us. Fred would break my bones somehow and then he would get sad so I would try to help him. After that he would say something funny to make me feel better in away. But weather it was my hand or shoulder; he would pull me close and tell me how sorry he was. After the ten minutes were over, Fred let me go and stood. There would be a five minutes break before we would go but I was worried.

"Fred are you sure you want to do this? I mean we could go to John now and not pay the humans any mind." Asking Fred with all my heart but there was something that was telling me he would not agree. I hoped that we would not have to do this again. That he would not get laughed at anymore. Sure he looked different and all but these humans did not know him the way I do. Fred is such a funny, loving, understanding, and sweet-hearted guy that I know. These humans, like any other, had no right to make fun of him.

"Sorry Lily but I think that maybe tonight will be different. Then we would not have to leave and stay with John." Says Fred as I gasp at what he just said. I could not believe what he was saying. How could he think that the humans would really not laugh at him? Was he really hopping that the humans had changed for once in the miserable lives.

"What but Fred…." I started to say when John on the loud speaker spoke.

"Ladies and Gentleman, please help me welcome to the sand pit two of my favorite members. The only and never duplicated…the world's strangest teenagers." John's voice was starting to crack in his old age. With that Fred walks forward and did not let me finish. I shook my head and ran to walk by his side. The coward roared when they saw the two of us, I looked up to see that Fred was smiling. I keep my hands firm at my sides and tried not to pull Fred out of the sand pit. When me and Fred got to the center of the pit we both looked up to John's voice and nodded. "Ok Fred, Lily…are you ready to start."

Fred and I looked at each other for a moment, and for that second I thought that Fred was going to end this. To tell John that we were not going to do this anymore but that was sort lived. Fred gave a firm node, more to John then me as he stepped a few feet away from me. I sighed and looked up to where John was going to be and nodded.

"Alright then Ladies and Gentleman, tonight my kids have a very special show for you." I smiled when John said that me and Fred are his kids, it sure felt that way. "So let's get this started, little lady..." I looked in John's direction. "You know what to do, show them what you got girl."

With a nod, I turned to face Freddy and gave him a low growl. Fred got into his fighting stands and gave the go ahead wink. With a small sigh, I lifted myself off the ground so that I was a good foot taller than Fred. The coward cheered at my simple move and I simple continued the show. I did a single slow spin before I flow right at Fred. When I was going to plow him over, Fred caught my shoulders and held me firm in place. In a fast motion, Fred flipped me over his head and strait for the fair wall. The coward gasped when I was about to hit the wall, but then they cheered. I adjusted myself in the air so that my feet hit square on the wall. With a hiss, I kicked off the wall and slammed into Fred. The impact pushed him a few feet and held me in place once more. Fred had a strong hold on my arms and did not look like he was going to let go. So with a smirk, I let my body go into the shape of a snow leopard. With a gasp, Fred let me go and got a few feet between us. The coward cheered louder as I started to circle around Fred and roared like I was pissed off. My eyes narrowed to slits and ears laded flat on the top of my head.

"Now that is my daughter ladies and gentlemen." John spoke once the coward settled down. With that I stopped my circling and sat down on the ground, still a snow leopard. When I did this I was facing Freddy and he was smiling at me. I let my eyes widen and started to purr as I walked on all fours to him. Fred bent down slightly and brushed his massive hand over my head. Then his hand went down my neck and along my spine, making my back arch in his hand. When his left hand was brushing my long tail, Fred's other hand scratched my right ear. The coward sighed at the cute seen that we were displaying.

Fred laughed softly to himself. "That was not so bad was it?"

I rolled my cat eyes and hissed softly. "I could have hit that wall, you big ox's."

Fred shook his head as John's voice continued. "Tigerlily everyone, isn't she just beautiful." When I heard many male voices cheer, I looked up at John's voice and growled loudly at him. John laughed. "Yes I know Lily sorry. Any who, let's get to the last event of the night." When John paused Fred and I broke apart and stood a foot or two from each other. "Ladies and gentleman, if you thought that my daughter was dazzling, then wait until you see my son." The coward cheered in anticipation as Fred threw up his arms and smiled. "That is the way my boy. So my angles are you ready to show these nice people a good night." Fred let out his battle cry and flecked his arms. Then I turned into the form of a timber wolf and gave a deep, low and long howl. "All righty then, Lily let's get this started."

With that I took in a deep breath and turned into a full grown black rhino. The humans gasped in wonder at the beast that came to the sand pit. With Fred in fighting stands again, John gave the go ahead. I chuffed my right huff into the sand before I charged at Fred with my horn amid at his chest. Fred smirked as he caught the horn in one hand and through me to the right. For a few moments I slid till I hit the wall. When I caught my breath, I shook it off and came out of the dust as an African elephant. Freddy laughed at this and ran to confront me and then my heart sank. I guess that Fred forgot that when I slid in the sand that the ground became uneven. So he tripped over when his feet went in a hole in the sand. At first the coward did nothing but stair—however after a few moments they burst into laughs.

"No!" whispered in pain as I turned back to normal and flow to him. The crowd did not stop even when I got to Freddy's side. Many of the faces were the same as before as they laughed. I ignored the humans and sat beside Fred, who did not see that I was there. Fred just looked up at the humans with a murderess look in his eyes. Putting my hands on his shoulder I tried to snap him out of it. But he tried snapping my neck as he tried to move away from my hands.

"Fred, Fred it's me, Lily. Come on we have to go Fred." Asking him with all my strength and still trying to avoid his hits. Still there was nothing that was facing him. So I came in front of him to look into his eyes. They were narrowed and filled with rage and hate. I put my hands on his face and tried talking to him again. "Fred please it's going to be ok but you have to calm down. Come Fred snap out of it." Finally he looked fully into my eyes and there was so much pain in his. With that I got up and came to his side again. I placed one of his arms over my shoulders and helped him to his feet.

"Aprill…please don't yell at them. It's not worth it." Fred gasped his plea as he came to his feet. He lined his side into me as he tried to get his head back. With my other arm I wrapped around his waist to balance him. It was hard to think that this fall did this to him but I was pissed. These humans just have not learned when to stop laughing at Fred. So no matter what Fred said or even John they had to shut up and I know how to do it.

That was when John's voice cut in. "Now people remain calm and Lily don't you even think…" but his warning fell on beath ears.

"Sorry Freddy, I must!" haft snarling my answer as I looked at the crowd. They will pay for there happiness. Bring as much air in my lungs as I could I pulled my neck back. Like a cobra about to strike, I let out my roar. As if I was morphing into the tiger, I growled at them. Men and women cried in fear as they ran with crying children. My snarl rang through the building as it cleared. With this and still snarling I pulled Fred in the air with me. As I flow us the way that we came teases started to pool in my eyes.

Another crash as a locker hit the wall. Fred was so angry this time I had to stay in the air so I didn't get hit. John had not come to see what was going on yet and I waited till Fred was done. I was trying to find the right words to say to him but I was not sure. An "I told you so" would not help and "This was your idea" was no good. So when Fred through his finial fist at the wall I spoke.

"Fred, it's ok. Like you said, we would get out of here. Well now we can and never look back." Trying not to cry I put my hands on his shoulder. Fred sighed and looked deeply into my eyes. There were grave and filled with agony. I could hear my heart speed up as I looked at the depth of his eyes. But before he could answer, the door opened behind us.

"Someone does not look happy. Is there something wrong?" The new comer asks as I looked at…her? She was young with black hair and dark blue eyes. With black glasses, black jacket and blouse, also a black skirt and even black high heels. I growled at her in disgust as Fred faced her.

"You bet there is something wrong. They have laughed at us for the last time. We are leaving this place for good." Fred says with hate in his voice. Coming down to the floor still growling I nodded in agreement. I did not know what it was about this human that I hated so much but I just hated her. She did not even seem to know that I was there as she just kept on talking. In the brief silent's, the woman looked at me for a moment before looking back at Fred. Her full addition was on Fred alone and that is what made things more suspicious about her.

"So I see. How would you like to go some where, where your talents will be appreciated?" Asked the woman with a smile. She lifted her hand, as she wanted to shack on it. _Shack on what!_ Thinking to myself as Fred stepped forward. With his right arm in front of me protectively, he spoke.

"Listen lady, if you are from the circuses. Then you can forget it." Fred sneered as he slapped her hand away and pushed her back. But she shook her head and stepped forward again with no fear.

"Oh, no, no I have something much better in mind. Care to here more." The women stated, who now was half laughing to herself. With that Fred looks at me with hard eyes.

"Fred I don't not like this one bit. Something is not right with her. We should just kick her out." I snarled at the woman and I made sure that she heard every cold word. At this point I had me hands on his arm that was in front of me. Fred knows that arm was protecting me from this woman but protected her from me. It made me sick to think he was protecting that crazy witch. He just looked down at me with calm eyes that were hiding his true feelings. Fred's right hand griped my hip and tried in his special way to calm me down. Fred did not trust this woman any more then me but he wondered what this human was talking about. I could not blame him on that but I still did not want to talk to humans right now.

"I don't know Lily, maybe we should at lest hear what she hast to say." Fred whispered in my ear as he shrugged his shoulders. "Sure, what harm could it do?" Fred says dryly to the woman as he moved to the door. But then something catches my attention. Like there were people behind the door that Fred was closing.

"Fred wait." Saying calmly as he stopped to face me. I walked over to his side and whispered in his ear. "I am going to step out for a moment. If there is a knock on the door let me in." telling him not what I was thinking so I could go. Fred's eyes narrowed at that and looked at my face. When he could not find anything he sighed and nodded. So I walked out into the wall as the door closed slowly behind me. I did not want to leave him in there to long so I have to make this quick. Sure enough there was a man and women in the hall. The woman was about my age with thick, long red hair. She was wearing blue jeans with a pale pink t-shirt and a cowboy hat. The man on her left was middle-aged with dark blue hair. With broad shoulders and just ripped (his arms were thick with muscle that it was almost hot)! Wearing a cowboy hat as well with a leather jacket and blue jeans. But before I could stop them, they stopped themselves. The first to turn was the woman. She had clear skin with full red lips. Her eyes were the prefect shade of blue.

"Well, hello there. How are you." Asks the woman with a smile on her face. Then there was a small voice came in my head. _It is nice to see you well Aprill._ The voice of the woman said.

"How did you…wait you are a telepath aren't you." I stammered at what just happened. My parents always talked about telepaths but I never ever dreamed I would meet one.

"That's right Aprill. My name is Jean Grey and I am so glad to meet you." Jean says with a smile again and shakes my hand.

"It's great to meet you to Jean." Smiling with her as I took her hand.

**"Well, it looks like your are all grown-up now. Are you kideo?" came a beep voice from the man. His eyes were a every beep shade of blue with shaggy side burns. There was something familiar about him that I could not place.**

"Who…wait…Logan is that you?" asking I finally got the face. Logan or Wolverine was an old family friend but what was he doing here. It has been so many years sense I last saw him. At times when I was young I remember him coming to visit. Well that and to see if my mom was doing ok. Turned out that he and my mom go way back and Logan loved her, still does too.

"Hi to you to Aprill. So how has it been going?" Logan says with a smile. He still had that wise look in his eyes and had a blank expression. That was so like him, always being serous.

"Um…fine but what are you doing here?" I stammered with shock. I could not believe that he was here. I had missed my really family for so many years now and Logan was like an uncle to me.

"Well, we wanted to give you the idea of joining the X-Men." Logan says with an even bigger smile. The X-Men, really, that was something that I wanted ever scene I was a kid. My mom had been part of the X-men once. She was one of the greatest members that they ever had. Logan was the man who tock her to them and they became partners. Not like love partners, hell no, but they worked well together and were great friends. But they were not spending much time together now that she was married and had me. That is when something come to me.

"But what about Fred." Asking as I looked over my shoulder. They had been in their for some time. I was starting to think that woman was some kind of monster. That she was in there right now trying to kill him silently.

"Don't worry Aprill, the professor has offered a place for Fred as well." Jean answers me in a warm voice. Before I could answer Logan or Jean the door opened behind us. First the woman came out with a smile. She looked at the people behind me with mocking eyes. After a moment she stood their but then she turned and walked away. Then, with a sigh, Fred comes out with a bigger smile. When he looked at me, he almost jumped out of his skin.

"Oh Aprill, you will not believe this. Mrs. Darkhome has given us a place to stay. What are you just standing there for come on?" Fred howls with joy as he runs to me and grabs my hand as he runs after this Mrs. Darkhome person.

"Wait…Fred…what are you doing! Let me go…Fred!" I almost snarl as Fred pulls me along. Behind us, Logan and Jean were stunned but did nothing to stop him. When he finally lets me go is when we are in my room. I just stood there and watched him pack my stuff for a moment. I could not believe how happy that he was. Well I was glad that he was not willing to kill humans any more but still. What the hell did not lady tell Fred that made him so happy? Then I got really mad so I stopped him.

"Fred…what the hell do you think you are doing! But more impotently where are we going!" I screamed a snarl at him to make him stop. In the middle of putting my cloths in my briefcase he freezes. Fred looks at me with surprised eyes. I guess that he was so excited that he forgot all about me. That I could not help but laugh at, I had never seen him space out so badly. But there was a happy secures on his face and that is when I stopped laughing.

"Oh…right…Aprill, you will not believe what Mrs. Darkhome told me. She said that she will give us a full school Addison at a place called Bayville." Excitedly says Fred as he fully faced me. What, a school Addison, why would she do that.

"Well that is something but she gave it to you not me." Saying with a strait face but grave at the same time. I did not think for once in my life that Fred would leave me but who know right. For some reason I felt I tear go down my cheek and my throat became thick. I did not want him to go, Fred is my brother, my best friend. But I knew that I could not keep him away from getting a school actuation. Fred's eyes turned worried at that point at what I was thinking. I could not look at him knowing that I could be right and this would be the last time that I would see him.

"What…no Aprill, where did you miss the "us" in my last sentence. I told her it was the both of us or none. Don't you remember Lily, nothing will pull us apart, I would never leave you behind." Fred comes to my side and hugs me. The last things that he said made me cry even more. He really is a good friend when it came to this. Fred is such a sweet guy. The warmth of his body told me that he was telling the truth. I should have known that he would not leave me. "Never in a million years would I leave you behind. I could never live with myself if I did that. You know that your my sister…my best friend." Fred whispered in my ear with a thick voice.

"Oh…Fred you really did that for me. Oh, thank you that was too sweet of you. Well go on and help me pack." Saying thickly as I went to finish what Fred started. He simply laughed as I put every thing in place. After about five minuets Fred rushed us out the door. He was just so happy that he carried all my belongings. By the time we got to the packer lat the sun was going down. Ok so it did not surprise me that there was a car for us. But a SUV that is black. Come on, doesn't this women not have anything that's not black. Anyway by the time we got to the car something hit me.

"Wait…Freddy what about John." Asking Fred quickly before he got in the car. I felt so sick at the fact that I almost forgot about him.

"What about him?" Fred asks with a confused expression.

"What do you mean "What about him". Fred we have to go and say good bye!" I almost scream at what Fred just said about John.

"No Aprill. We don't need to say good bye to that cold-hearted man who used us." Fred says flatly at me and that is when I snapped.

"You stupid trucker! How dare you say that to the man who raised us. He did not use us and if anyone is cold-hearted…it's you Fred!" I howled at him as I turned on my heel and ran to the building.

"What the hell…Aprill where are you going!" Fred yells after me but I did not stop.

"If you are not going to say good bye. Then I will for you." I yelled back as I was back inside the building. All I knew was I had to get there before Fred (all though even I had to admit that he could not run that fast). I finally got to John's office door with a heavy heart. Now that I was here, what on earth was I going to say? Trying not to think about it I knocked on the door.

"Come in." John's voice said from inside. Opening the door, things had not changed much, with papers all over the hard wood floor. On the left was his bed and a small table with pictures of all of us together. On the right was his bookshelf and dresser. Then in front of me is where John stood. He was looking out of the window that opened to the sand pit. But when I shut the door behind me, he turned to face me. Hs black hair had more grayish-silver in it. With more wrinkles in his skin and his dark green eyes were bright when he saw me.

"Well if it isn't my favorite little lady. Aprill, I was wondering where you went. I saw what happened out there tonight. What happened to Fred, Lily?" asks John in his cracking voice. He was smiling which was a good thing as I smiled back.

"It's great to see you to John. Well I am not sure what happened to him tonight and the people deserved what I did to them. But um…John…after the show their was this woman, , who came to us." I paused so that John could take it in.

"Oh, I see and what did Darkhome want?" asked John as his eyes narrowed.

"Well, she gave me and Fred a fully paid Addison at some school in Bayville." Answering him with out meeting his eyes.

"Really, a school Addison. Well that is a surprise but don't tell me that I am getting in your way Aprill?" John was happy at the news but looked at me hoping that he was not right.

"John…it's not the fact that you were in the way. No, Fred was just going to leave with out telling you. But I could not leave with out saying good bye." Saying thickly as I tried not to cry.

"Well I am glad that you came and told me. You know Lily, Fred has really changed and he needs someone to push him in the right direction. That is where I know that you will be there for him." John says with a smile as he walks to me and hugs me. "And I am so proud of both of you. Always remember that and how much I love you both." He almost cried in my ear as the door opened behind us.

"Don't worry John, I will be there for him and I will never forget you, I promise." I whispered back at John as I slowly let him go.

"Aprill, what the hell were you thinking. We have to go." Fred says coldly as he looks at me. Before I could say a word, John spoke.

"I hope you have a great time in Bayville Fred. Just remember that I am proud of you in so many ways." John speaks to Fred before he turns to me again. "You should go now little lady and don't worry about me ok. Just try to visit." In the end of all this John was laughing again. I just smiled and said ok as I walked with Fred out of the room. Even though that Fred did not say it I know that he would miss John. I knew I would, no matter what.


	6. Chapter 5: A Long Way to Bayville

Chapter Five

A Long Way to Bayville

Ok, so the one thing that I did not get was the showier. What the hell did a school principle need one for? Then there was the fact that Mrs. Darkhome did not pay me any mind. I guess she did not like me so much. Even though that I did not like her any better. I still would have liked it if she explained to me why she was letting us at her school. But she would not stop talking to Fred. So when her phone rang and paid Fred no more mind, it was amazingly silent. With that Fred sighed and looked at me. He moved his right arm around my waist and pulled me close. I knew that he was going to say, that he was sorry. With a deep breath, Fred places his face on the top my head. All over my body I could feel that warmth again and this time I hopped that it would never go away.

"Lily, I am sorry…so, so sorry about John. I did not mean to be cold or anything. Epically, when it came to you." Fred says slowly but sweetly as he takes a deep breath in my hair.

"I know Freddy I just did not want to leave him like that. And about calling you cold hearted…I am really sorry about that. It was uncalled for. You are not like that at all." I answered him as I moved closer to him. I really was sorry about calling him that though. He is the sweetest person I know and with a big heart.

"I understand Lily and I did disserve that in some way but let's not think about that now, ok." I could not help but agree with him.

"Ok I can do that." I laughed a little as I barded my face his side. Fred breathed a beep sigh of approval.

"That's good now try and get some sleep Lily. We have a long way to go." Fred says soothingly as he took my hand again and rubbed my palm. With a deep sigh I closed my eyes let his scent fill me. He smelled like the morning due in summer. Like after it rained in a pine forest. I let my dreams carry me as I listened to the betting of his heart.

By the time that I was waking up, the car had stopped. Then there was the fact that I was not sleeping on Fred's side anymore. Surprisingly both Fred and Darkhome's scents were stale. At first I was glad that I was alone for a moment or two. All this talk about going to school again and leave home was…well a lot to take in. After what happened at the last school that Fred and I were at, well I didn't get why he wanted to go. By the sound of it, this was not some kind of mutant school and so there would be humans. Even after what happened at school when we were ten and what happened last night, Fred was willing to go. I shook my head, I know that was more to this then what it looked like. Maybe Freddy knew what the bigger picture was but he was not telling me just yet. Now that was odd, Fred never kept secrets from me. Then a scent suddenly hit me.

"Come on Aprill time to wake up." A voice says and I jumped in place.

"Who the hell…oh it's you Mrs. Darkhome, what you want?" Snarling at first but pulled it back as I looked at her. This was the first time that she said one word to me.

"It is morning and we are stopping for gas. Fred is outside and waiting for you. He didn't want to wake you so he let you rest." Darkhome said in an almost kind voice. So Fred let me sleep, that was nice of him. Before I could thank Mrs. Darkhome, she was out of the car and left the door for me. Well she was nice in some way but still did not like me. With a good stretch, I moved slowly out of the dark car. All I know was we were in the country somewhere at a normal gas station. Not paying the building any mind I walked to the big field behind it. The land looked like it was an old farm field with many small hills. Packs of tall trees were scattered over the land. Fred was at the end of the lat and looking over this land. I walked to his side and looked with him. It took him about five minutes to see that I was there.

"Oh…Aprill…there you are. How did you sleep?" asks Fred as he looks down on me.

"I slept fine thank you. So what are you doing?" I answered him with a smile and looked up at him. Fred eyes were bright as he smiled back.

"Come on and walk with me." Fred smiles as he walks forward. Giggling, I followed him. To make sure that I was following him, he griped my hand. He did not rap his fingers in mine but it was still nice. At first we just walked and did not say a word. Then about half away into the walk he starts to talk. Just small talk like the weather or the news, but more than that was about Bayville. What it would be like and how much fun it would be. After all that we had been through at the other schools and seeing what it was like for him…it was hard to see him so happy. That he wanted to go to school and be something more. It must be because I am going with him or something, I don't know. After about ten minutes of talking we stopped. Puzzled I looked up at Fred in wonder.

"Um…Fred, why have we stopped?" Asking as I tried to read his face, but his expression did not show me anything of use. So I waited to see what had to say.

"Aprill, how would you like to do some training?" Fred questioned me, as I looked more puzzled. I remembered how we always play fight back in Texas. Half the time I would beat him but that was because I was so fast. But I knew that the hardest thing to do was to knock him off balance. I don't know what it was but it was nearly impossible.

"Training…why would we do that?" Asking with suspicion as my head tilted to the side.

"Well…first it would be fun. Then there is the fact that Mrs. Darkhome said we should train so we don't get rusty." Fred says shyly as he said her name. She wanted us to work on not getting rusty? What in the world was she meaning by that.

"She wants us to train…for what prepress will that serve? More than that why would she care?" my eyes started to narrow as I asked for more explanation.

"Look Lily I don't understand why that is either but why does it matter?" Fred asks with his hands over his head. Now I know for sure that Fred did not get a clue. How or why would he think that her asking us to use our powers was a bad thing?

"What…Fred you really don't think that there is something wrong with a human telling us to train." I asked Fred and try not to snarl. God, sometimes it was like talking to a wall. Don't get me wrong, Fred was smart as could be expected but sometimes he was a moron.

"Um…Lily, John told us to do that all the time and he is a human." Fred said and had the nerve to roll his eyes. Wow, that was the dumbest thing that he has ever said in his life.

"Fred you know damn well that that was not what I meant. But really you don't see how odd this women is?" saying in a hiss as I was starting too got pissed. With a look on my face that Fred could read, he sighed. He knew that I was right and he did not push me anymore. So with that sigh, he placed his hand on my shoulder and picked his next word carefully.

"Ok how about I put it this way. It has been some time scene we last trained and it would be good for the both of us if we had some fun." Fred rephrases as he tried his hardest not to piss me off any further. I knew why he was being so calm to; we had just got in a big fight the night before. The last thing that he wanted to do was to get me mad at him again. Fred's eyes showed that he was trying his best and did not want me mad at him anymore. So I pondered the idea of training for a little bit. Well Fred had made a point about when are last lesson was. The fact was that after him breaking my jaw he never wanted to fight me again. It took some time but John and I helped Fred understand that what he did was an accident. Even then Fred was not sure if he could go through something like that again. Then there was the fact that Fred did not fully understand my worries about Darkhome. He seemed so happy about going to a new school that he was not seeing the positional danger. With a sigh I decided that it would be good for the both of us but I would keep my eye on Darkhome.

"Fine, but I am not going this for her ok." Saying this as I shrugged my shoulders and made my point clear. This made Fred's face light up big time. His hand was no longer on my shoulder and he was not holding my hand either. I guess that I just noticed that in the argument that he removed it to make his odd points.

"Ok, that is fair. So how about we do the part of training without hand to hand. You will have to stay a certain animal the whole time ok." He smiled as he walked a few feet away. As I was thinking about the animal for the job and Fred was cracking his fingers in a taunting manner. Like I did when we were kids, I snapped my jaw at him with a snarl. In the mist of the fun, he jumped and waved his hands in front of him for mires. I could not stop from snickering at that. Simply Fred rolled his eyes and got into fighting stands. With that I let my body take the form of a tiger.

"A tiger, well then this will be fun. Ok so whenever you're ready." Fred smiles as he waited for me. At first I circled around him snarling. He just rolled his eyes and waited impatiently. When I was behind him, I crouched low to the ground and lunged. I landed square on his shoulder as I tried to pull him to the ground. But he gripped the scuff of my neck in his hands and pulled me off. Still in his grip as he flung me to the trees, I hit an oak tree in the process and was gasping for air. I tried to stay in the air but a few bones were almost broken. So I fell to the ground and still a tiger, there were black dotes in my vision. It was would pass soon and a few feet in front of me Fred was chuckling.

"Come on Lily, I know you can do better than that. I mean, I know I am strong but wow." Fred still chuckles as he looks at where I landed. First it was hard to see him with all the dotes but soon that was clearing up. So I started to think about what happened. By the look of it, Fred through me about a full yard! Wow, I knew that he was super strong but that was impressive. If it weren't for the trees right at this spot, then I would have went a few more yards. Shacking the idea out of my head I faced him with a growl. I could tell that he did not think that I was wounded. In fact I could tell that he did not use all of his strength. I know what I was thinking but it had to be true. Fred was really thinking about his self-control and whom he was fighting. He did not want to hurt me anymore then I wanted to hurt him.

"Ok then…no more fooling around." I snarled at Fred as I crouched and lunged at him with a burst of speed. Before Fred could have a grab at me, I tried pulling him to the ground again. I grinned as we both fell to the ground. Dirt and grass filled the air as we rolled on the ground to pin each other down. I could not believe that I got him off balance. Like I said it was nearly impossible to knock him over. But it was fun to see who would pin down whom. Finally after ten minutes, I finally got him pinned.

"You may be strong Freddy but I am stronger still." I growled with pleasure in his ear as I had won the fight. He just rolled his eyes as we started to laugh. After about a few minutes of that I morphed back to normal and let him go. Once we were both up and brushed the dust off my cloths, we were still laughing, but somehow I lost my footing and started to fall. Somehow I was falling toward Fred, who catches me in mid-fall. My face turned red with embarrassment as I looked up at him. His face was red to but his eyes were soft, as he looked me over. A dull pain shot from my right ankle, it was broken (turned out there was a hole in the ground I did not see). Fred was smiling a little as he pulled me to my feet slowly. Moments later I was lifted off the ground and cradled in his arms. My arms were around his neck and Fred had his right arm under me as he used his free hand to look at me broken bone. Like all ways the warmth and power was still coming from his body. The pain in my ankle was nothing but the warmth almost made the bone heal faster.

"Oh, Aprill…you can be such a cults sometimes. Well it does not look to badly broken. But you will need to stay off it ok." Fred sounded so smart when he looked over my bone. Still smiling as he turned back to me as he finished and once again he looked sad that I was in pain. The warmth in his eyes almost made my melt. One day I would have to tell him how beautiful his eyes are. That they are the perfect shade of brown and how there are one of a kind. I was going to answer when someone called to us.

"Fred…Aprill we are leaving, let's go." Yells Mrs. Darkhome as she walked back to the car. Fred just walked forward as he held me. Well it was one way to stay off my ankle for some time. It was also nice to rest in Fred's arms. In no time we were back in the car again and I was leaning agents Fred again as he slowly popped my ankle back into place.

"So, wear is Bayville anyway?" I asked Fred as he looked at my almost healed ankle again. We had been in the car for another three hours and Mrs. Darkhome was in the front driving. Emily, the showier, was in the front as well. So it was just Fred and I alone, so we talked. His head titled to the side as he thought about my question. After five minutes he just shrugged his shoulder.

"Not a clue. Where do you think it is?" asks Fred as he looked up from my ankle. He was not sad about what happened my ankle and that was good. Both of my legs were over his lap and I sat on my side, looking up at him. Fred was becoming to understand my wounds better every day and was like my personal doctor. Well that was saying something because he was not smart in much else. But when it came to me and my needs, he was the guy to call.

"Well…it sounds like it could be some place in California." Now that I was thinking about it, we have been in this car for almost two days. But then again I have not been out of the state of Texas for over ten years. It was nice to get out and see what else was out there. That idea sounded a lot better with my best friend at my side.

"California…really, well sounds like a place where people get big bucks." Says Fred as he placed his hand on my ankle over the place where it broke. I guess that he was starting to feel bad for my ankle, even though Fred had nothing to do with it.

"Fred…you do know that my ankle breaking was not your fault. This time it was on my part ok." I tried not to sound like I was some girl who always fell and broke something. I mean girls like that would get any man because the man would feel sorry for her. Wow, talk about use somebody over the fact that you are not strong enough. Good thing that I am more than strong enough to take care of myself. Then again Fred always acted as if I was not this all-powerful being. Like I was a normal human who needed some big, strong man to save me. Well Fred was strong all right and don't get me started on the big part. Wow, I could be mean to him when I wanted to be. But I know for sure that he would always be there to help me to my feet. It was just like what he did three hours ago. That after using all my powers, I could still get hurt. No matter how powerful that I would get, I would be like this normal human to him.

"I know but I should have seen it coming but you are right. Besides, by the look of it the bone is all healed now." Fred sighs as he pats me ankle. Well, I wish that he said that I was right when my other bones were broken. I mean it made me feel wanted when he cared about my pain. In ways it opened my heart in ways that I did not know possible. Even now I could feel that same feeling that I could not place. After so many years of that feeling and now fifteen it was hard to believe that I did not know what it was. I could even see that Fred could feel something to but it was never talked about. The fact is I did not want to talk about it. It was embarrassing enough to think that I did not know what I was feeling. But even more so when I would try to explain it to Fred, he would never understand. I would have been thinking about it more when Fred started to laugh?

"What is so funny?" asking as I shoved him with my hands but it did not move him much. Fred was still laughing at something that I did not get and that is when that got me worried. "Fred, you are scaring me. What is so damn funny?" This time I almost was tearing up as I shack his hand. After a few long moments Fred looks at me and he stops laughing. He rapped his arm around my shoulders and smiled.

"Sorry Lily but I was just thinking about where we are going. Can you believe that I am going to California? To a place where I never thought that I would ever go. To go to a new school and try to start a new life, just wow." Fred sighs as I could hear his heart racing. That what was so funny, that he was going to a place that he only dreamed of and more than that, he wanted to start a new life at a new school? That is when I remembered that I did not know why he wanted to go to school.

"That reminds me. Freddy why do you want to go to this new school so bad? I mean after what happened to us, you, at the last one. What makes this one so different?" asking him in the eyes as I tried to read his expression. Like last time he did not show me a thing so I waited.

"Well…Aprill it's just that. At the other schools I didn't have any way to deal with the other kids. I just did not fit in and I still don't but there is something different now." Fred paused as he looked deeply into my eyes. There was so much emotion in his eyes it was hard to place them all. As I was trying to read them all shivers ran down my spine. There was something about what he was about to say that gave me chills. Thinking about being hot and cold at the same time is an odd concept. But when it comes to Fred, many things became possible.

"What would that be Freddy?" I breathed as I tried not to sound as if his eyes were not making it harder to constantan. Fred just laughed at my answer and brushed the hair out of my eyes. The touch of his fingers on my forehead gave me more chills. I almost even shuttered at the touch. There was something about Fred's actions that made him gentle. That's making him sweet and loving, as if his next words would mean the world to me. It was clear that they would but Fred was taking his time in telling me all of his thoughts.

"Well I did not have someone to truly be there for me. But now I have you…Lily…I know that you will be there for me when I need you. And don't get me wrong, you where there before but we were just kids. Neither of us knew what to really do about the other kids. So that just makes it all work out in the end doesn't it?" Fred is telling me in a thick voice, I cried at his words. He was about an inch away from my face and my body melted with his. At that moment, it was almost like I was not in the car any more. That it was just Fred and I in some fair off place. The warmth and power of his body became mine. It was like we were becoming one being. My lungs were filled with his pure, clean scent and I felt at peace. All my worries went away, going to a new school, leaving John, becoming X-men. In that moment all that I could think about was my life with Fred and him not being there, was impossible.

"Freddy, that is the nicest thing that you have ever said to me. You know that I will always be there for you because that is what I promised." Saying as if I was about to pass out right then. For those moments we just looked beep in each other's eyes. Looking at all the emotions and color that were in his eyes made me melt even more. The next thing I know Fred was coming even closer to me. He put my chin in his hand and brought up my face so I could fully face him. Our foreheads were touching and Fred was coming slowly closer to my face.

All of the sudden, the car was really stopped and I could hear Mrs. Darkhome talking to use.

"Fred…Aprill we are about ten minutes from your new home so I hope you are ready." Says Darkhome flatly as she makes a left turn. At that moment Fred let me go and just placed his hands on my ankle again. Like that moment did not happen, Fred just gazed at me at times and would smile. But I just did not understand what he was about to do…hell I didn't even know what it was supposed to mean.


	7. Chapter 6: Welcome

Chapter Six

Welcome to Bayville and the Brotherhood?

It was just as Darkhome said as we pulled up to a two-story house. With old stained glass windows on the top floor and with broken windows on the first floor, some of the roof shingles were falling off. Even the front door didn't look stable. Ok, talk about a fixer upper of a house. The only thing that looked new was the sign in the front. It was a large long rectangle, wooden sign that had the word Brotherhood in big black letters. Why would they call this run down place that? Before we could get inside, there were four people standing in front and looking at us. I got out of the car so I could get a good look at them. The first was a boy with pale skin who was sitting like a frog. His hair was like a dark moss green with yellow eyes and wearing a green shirt and jeans. It looked like he has been sick all of his life. Then there was a tall, thin boy on the left of the first. He had whiter skin, like he had never been in the sun before. At lest he looked healthy compared to the first.

Even if his skin looked like it never had pigment. With just as white hair that was pulled back as if he was just frozen in a run. Wearing a brown shirt and jeans he has icy blue eyes. Then there was a slightly taller and stronger framed boy then the last one. He was even tanned and had earth brown eyes and hair and wearing a black shirt and a brown shirt vest. Holes in the nesses of his jeans, he looked like trouble. Finally there was the one girl in the group. She had somewhat pale skin with misty grey, almost blue eyes. With dark brown hair and white bangs, I wondered if the white was natural. She was wearing a pale purple, thin long sleeved shirt and black pants. She even was wearing black gloves. Wonder why she was so covered up, I mean it was almost 80 degrees out here. When I was done looking them over Fred and Mr. Darkhome came out the car.

"Aprill…Fred welcome to your new home. These are your roommates: Toad, Pietro, Lance, and Rogue. Everyone this is Fred Dukes and Aprill Fisk." Says Mrs. Darkhome as she introduced every one. Fred stood right beside me and for a moment I looked up at him. He looked at each one of the new comers carefully and then looked down at me.

Fred smiled at my worried look and put a hand on my shoulder. "Don't worry Lily, they don't look like too much trouble."

I raised an eyebrow. "You sure Trucker, what kind of school is this?" Fred frowned then and shrugged his shoulders as he saw my point. I looked back at the other kids. Pietro had a smile on his face as he looked at us. In fact all of them were smiling but Rogue. It was Lance who was the first to walk up and greet us.

"It's nice to meet the both of you and welcome to the Brotherhood." Lance said in a changing voice. It was even but it was getting deeper slowly. Then in the blink of an eye Pietro was by us and shaking my hand really fast. Wow, he must have super fast speed, cool. Toad just hopped to us as he landed on Fred's shoulder.

"Cool, I can see the whole house from here." Toad says all ganister as Fred rolls his eyes and pulls him off. Laughing at that, I saw that Pietro was still shaking my hand. His eyes were burning into mine, like he was trying to find something. Clearly Pietro was learning fast that I could take the speed of the handshake. Toad was just pealing himself out of the earth. Lance was rolling his eyes just as much as Fred but started to look at Pietro and me. It was clear that Lance was wondering what he was trying to find as well.

"Let me guess. Your mutant power is super speed right, Pietro." Saying with eyes rolling at how stupid I just sounded. It was a no brainier that I was right and everyone know that what I said was dumb. But it was also clear that Pietro was enjoying this and laughed. There was something about his eyes that made my skin crawl. But it was not so much in a danger way but somehow a good way.

"How did you know?" Pietro says in a mocking way as he runs around me. He started to ran faster and faster around me and I started to fly off the ground.

"Lily!" Freddy yelled over the hissing wind and started to yell at Lance. "Do something."

Lance shrugged his shoulders. "Silver won't do your woman any harm big guy."

Fred's face turned red with anger. "She's not my woman pretty boy."

I snarled. "Trucker, shut up. I got this." Annoyed with this little game I growled and waited to stop him. It was not easy but I was able to finally get a lock on him. With that I reached out and grabbed him by the arm. This made Pietro stop dead in his tracks and I was put gently back on the ground. He was trying to get out of my grip but I was too strong for him. Pietro gave my hand a cold stare and stopped trying to break away. I sneered at this and pulled back my snarl.

"Just a lucky guess." I said with a mocking sneer as I let go of his arm. Lance and toad were laughing at Pietro's expression as I looked up at Fred. Fred's eyes are wide with worry over me and looked at Pietro with a hard look. "Freddy it's ok, I'm just fine."

Fred looked back at me and griped my forearms. "You sure Aprill?"

I smiled. "Sure I'm sure you big log," I paused and punched him in the chest, which made him laugh. "You worry too much." Fred shrugged and let me go so he could talk to the other members.

So with that I walked to the building as Emily got my bags in side. To my left was a kitchen with broken cabinets and loads of dishes in the sink. In front of me was a staircase that leads up stairs. Then to my right was a living room that had a small TV by the door which had bad reception. Walking in the room where a small fireplace stood to my left. At the other end of the room was a big leather armchair. It was on the fair left of the room where a couch was. With a big centered window behind it and where Rogue was sitting, reading a book. When did Rogue step inside, I did not see her leave the front yard. By the look of it she did not see me.

"Um…hi Rogue. It is nice to meet you." Saying politely as I held out my hand. At first she just sat there with her eyes skimming across the page. Then when she turned the page, she closed the book and looked at me. There was something in those eyes that made me wonder. It was as if there was more than just one personality in them. I know that was not possible but I should know that in the world of mutants, anything is possible.

"Oh…hi Aprill, It is great to meet you too." Rogue smiled with a southern accent and she toke my hand in a greeting. Rogue seemed very nice and I could not wait to see her other books. It would also be nice to just have a girl around for once. For the past ten years I have only been with John and Fred. I know for a fact that I was way over due for some girl time. Don't get me wrong I love both of them but it's hard to tell them girl stuff.

"So…how long have you been here?" asking Rogue so I could learn more about this place. To be honest, there were many things that I didn't like about this place. Just by the way that Toad and the others acted did not feel right to me. Hell I just meet them and know that it would take some time to trust them at all. Fred seemed to like them already but looked like he was not going to like Pietro that much. It was the same thing with me; he has spent ten years with John and me. Fred needed to socialize with guys his age.

"About a month but if I were you Aprill…I would run while you still can." Whispered Rogue in my ear as Toad hopes up the stairs. I look at her confused. Why would she say that this place was not safe? It was almost like she read my mind but I could tell that this was all her thinking. So this place was as bad as I was thinking it was but how. As fair as I could tell nothing seemed dangers yet but then again I could be wrong.

"Why is that Rogue?" asking in a whisper.

"Let's just say that the others are not the nicest people around."

"But…they seem nice to a point."

"Yes, to a "point" that is the key difference. Oh and you should be careful about your friend." Says Rogue with narrow eyes. "Or is he your man?"

I blushed in embarrassment. "Oh no, no, Freddy and me are just friends."

Rogue simply shrugged and watched as Pietro walked into the kitchen. That is when my head tilted to the side. Ok now I know for sure that I was missing something. How could Fred be in greater danger then me? In fact why would that even make scene? Fred was just as powerful as me if not more, so why would it just be him? Although Darkhome did love talking to Fred more than me, in fact she has never had a direct conversion with me. I knew from the first time that I saw her that she was trouble and might not even be human. But if she was a mutant then she was not showing any powers. Even when she wanted me and Fred to train it seemed like she know more then what she was telling us.

"What…why do I need to watch out for Fred more?" asking Rogue with a small smile. Fred is super strong and he is supposed to be scared of the people here. Please, if I am not scared then Fred has no reason to be. Then again there is something about the Pietro character. It's like there is more to him then I realized. That was the same thing with everyone else here. Rogue seemed to be the only one not willing to go after Fred and me. That maybe, just maybe she just wanted to be friends.

"Look, I don't know your friend well but I do know that this place changes people. If you're not careful…you could loss Fred's good side." Rogue says simply as the others walk in. Pietro runs up the stairs from the kitchen as Lance gives Fred a look around. That is when John's words echoed in my ears. _You know Lily, Fred has really changed over the years…he needs someone to push him in the right direction._ Looking from Rogue to Fred it was hard to think what could happen. I know that Fred has changed but will he change so much that I will have to lead him in the right direction? But even more than that, will I have the power to help him if it truly happens?

"And this is your schedule for the semester. Do you have any questions Ms. Fisk?" asks Mrs. Darkhome as she hands me my new classes. It had been two days in Bayville and so fair it's nice. The school is like any other and the other students are ok. I shook my head to Mrs. Darkhome and I was dismissed. Out in the hall things were normal. Walls made of hundreds of white cement blocks. Floors made of tiled, polished marble. After about a few feet from me the wall started to be lined with blue lockers. As I started to walk forward some of the kids did say hello. Others just smiled as I passed. _I hope Fred gets here soon_. It felt really weird to not have him around. I mean we would always be around each other in Texas. So this was hard when I walked into first period. It was a Biology class with Mr. Stone. He is middle-aged with hazel eyes, with jet-black hair and wearing a lad coat. Not knowing that I stepped in, I picked a desk. With a desk right in the middle of the room, I stepped out. It was nice to think that I was going to learn more about animals. It has be my favorite subject all my life. This subject even runs in the life and just because of the fact that my family can turn into animals. My mom has dedicated her life to studying the animals of this world.

Then out of nowhere a yell hits my ears. A deep anger filled sound that suddenly stopped. Panicked, I ran to where the voice came from. The first thing was that it was by Mrs. Darkhome's office. Then when I rounded the corner I could see a boy on the floor. He was a blond with wide blue eyes and wearing a red and gold football jersey and jeans. The next thing I knew he quickly stood and ran past me. Carefully I looked more around to see what scared the boy to see…Fred!

"What the hell?" I hissed under my breath as he put three lockers on the ground. _What is it with him and lockers?_ I could only think of why Fred was just about to kill a student. On the first day of school no less and he really wanted to come to. Then again I did say that I would be there for him. God, I just broke that promise on the first day, well almost. I wanted to fully around the corner and find out what happened but there was someone already with him.

"Well welcome to Bayville. What do your friends call you?" asks a woman about a few feet away from me. She had thick red hair…perfect blue eyes…wait is that Jean Grey. Well I be damned, it is her but what is she doing with Fred. I had not seen her ever scene Texas and I did not know that she went to school here. That most mean that the X-men are not to fair behind.

"Oh well my sister calls me Trucker when she mad. But the name is Fred Dukes." Fred said in surprise as he shakes her hand. I was trying to hold back my snarl. Was I really just his sister or what was Fred really getting at. Not that I don't mind the tile of sister but somehow just the way he dismissed me—it felt odd. I did not what the hell happened but I intended to find out. It was again the first day at school and already Fred has to course trouble.

"Well Fred I must apologize for Duncan. He can be a real jerk sometimes. Hey do you need help with this?" says Jean at first but then asks as she picks up a paper from the ground. It must be his schedule for the semester. The biggest question that I have is why she was so nice to him. But then I remembered that I was not the only one that got asked to join the X-men. Fred was to and that must be why Jean is trying so hard. The X-men would want both of us to join. Well, that would not be so bad but living with the Brotherhood so fair was not that bad ether.

"Oh…yes…uh please." Freddy stammered as he seemed more shocked. Well it was not every day that Fred was talking to more than just one girl in his life. Again the only girl that he has ever talked to in his life is me.

"Ok, your first class is…right…over there." Calmly says Jean as she points in my direction. Fred's eyes light up at that and smiled.

"Wow thanks." Says Fred as Jean starts to walk away.

"No problem and don't worry the first day is always the hardest. It will get better…" Jean starts to say when she walks into me. She stumbled but was able to stay on her feet. Jean looks up in shock but then to surprise. "Oh I am so sorry…hey Aprill how are you?" Jean asked warmly as I glanced at Fred. He was glad to see me but shocked at the same time. He probity knew that I was there the whole time and I was not happy. It was true I was mad at him and more about the fact that he did not think of me as a friend. But I should know by now that he could not live without me. Hell I know that I could not live without him.

"I am well, thank you Jean." I answered her politely as I turned my full attention to Fred. At this point he was thinking that I was going to yell at him but I know better. I would not make a seen in front of all these humans. "I'm just your sister, when did that happen?" asking Fred with a raised eyebrow. He smiled and laughs a little. Fred was glad that I was not yelling at him yet. The relief was written all over his face.

"Come on Lily, you are my best friend but still like family." Fred says as he blocked my view of the broken lockers. I walk up to him and shack my head. Fred simply smiled and had sorry eyes, begging me not to kill him. I smiled back with eyes that told him that I would yell at him later. Fred just continued to give me the sorry eyes and waited to see what I would say next.

"Ok _brother_, let's go to class." I say with a giggle as I pulled him by the arm. He rolls his eyes and walks normally as he thanked Jean. "So what is your first class?" asking as I took the paper from him. To my glee, we had the same class together. "Cool we have Bio together. Come on, we don't want to be late." Saying happily as I pulled Fred so he could walk faster.

High school is not as bad as I thought it would be. After Bio Fred and I went to gym class. It was fun because after we ran, Fred smoked everyone at doge ball. It got even more interesting when I was on the other team. Mrs. Cloak, the gym teacher, said she had never seen a student doge like me. She was also impressed at Fred's throwing arm. It was funny because she did not know the half of it. After that I went to Algebra A with Mr. King and Fred went to crafts with Mrs. Swift. Math was fine and all but I was the smartest one there. It was so embarrassing when he asked the answer for forty times four hundred. Wail every one used the calculator my hand was the first up and it was right! Last class before lunch was lit comp ten. Mrs. Hook was the teacher, or the students called her bookworm. She is a short, thin woman with round glasses and curly black hair, green eyes and dark skin. She had her classes in the biggest library (which is filled with so many books) that I had ever seen! My eyes were wide as I skimmed the rows for books. Everyone in the class thought I was mad when I brought back five books. Mrs. Hook smiles warmly at me.

"Well, Aprill…I have never seen a girl your age love to read so much." Says Mrs. Hook in a warm even tone as the bell rang. I smiled at her and nodded as I was reading Shakespeare. Reading Romeo and Juliet was just my favorite. Putting all but my reading book in my locker I walked to lunch. I was not sure what last class Fred had but with his appetite, he should be there before me. Sure enough Fred already had a tire piled high with food. I could not help to giggle at that when he tried to find a table. My heart dropped when he sat down. At first it was sad when the chair broke under him. Then to my half amusement the food flung in the air and hit a group of boys. To my surprise they were football players and one was that Duncan charter from this morning! _Oh no…he is going to try to kill Fred!_

"That's it blob boy." Duncan hisses at Fred as he walks over to him. Fred looked at them in surprise and did not move. I could not believe that Fred was not moving. Duncan did not seem that he was going to stop his attack. What a dumb ass human, he does not want to mess with Fred or he will get his ass kicked.

"Hey Duncan back off!" I hiss at him as I stood in front of him. At first Duncan was ticked that I was in the way but then he smiled. His blue eyes turned soft and for the first time I got a good look at him. Duncan is a strong guy with a chiseled face. Yes, I could see that he was handsome for a human but he is smug. Duncan thinks that he can take Fred out in a heart bet but was not expecting me to stop him.

"Well hello beautiful. You should get out of the way so you don't get hurt. We are just taking out the trash." Duncan says sweetly as the boys behind him whistled. God I hate it went boys droll when they see me. They have been doing that all day. It was just like humans males to go dumb at my beauty. They have been doing that to me all my life. The only two men that have never talked about only my beauty were John and Fred. But the one thing that got me was the fact that Duncan was calling Fred trash. These humans never learn to leave him alone do they?

"That "trash" is my friend and you lay one hand on him…you will be sorry!" I almost snarl as Duncan tried to push me a side. When his hand tucked my shoulder, I slapped it away. That is when Duncan got serious.

"Look I don't know who you are but I do know one thing. Why would such a cute girl like you defend such a fat lousier?" Duncan is getting serious but at the same time being sweet. How that was being accomplished I had no idea. But Duncan was going to fair and I was trying not to snarl.

"Because Fred is my best friend and if you want to get to him…you will have to go through me." I snapped back as I trying so hard to keep my anger under control. Just by the look in Duncan's eyes I could see that his patients were wearing thin.

"Sorry doll but you are in the way." Duncan hissed as he shoved me away. To my surprise I flow to the right and hit the wall. With a loud crack as my head hit the wall hard, I fell to the ground. Darkness covered my eyes as I could hear Fred yell my name.


	8. Chapter 7: Stay or Go

Chapter Seven

Stay or Go?

The cold of the ground carried me in my dreams. A raw wave of pain shot through my head. I slowly opened my eyes to a powerful white light. It was like I was dying but I could feel my body healing. Besides I could not leave Fred with Duncan. Fred could and would kill Duncan for what he did to me but then what would I do. Try to tell the copes that it was a misunderstanding. God I cannot see Fred in jail, he would never last. Slowly I got up and looked around. The air was cold and nothing but white. That's when someone was calling my name. It was a warm, loving voice that warmed my heart. It was like a woman's voice that sounded familiar to me. About two feet away from me, came a figure. It was a woman with long hair and had shadows covering her face. She was tall and fit as she stopped in front of me. My heart rate went up, as I knew who she was.

"Mom, is that you?" asking as the shadows fade and I could see her face. It is my mom and she has not changed one bit. She still had her prefect, tanned skin and ruby red lips. With her long dark brown hair and greenish-blue eyes as she smiled at me (she is even wearing the pink robe the night before I ran away)! Over these years I was wondering how my parents were doing without me. It was sad to think that I ran out on them but I know that it was the right thing to do. If I didn't I never would meet John or Fred and life without them would be hard for me.

"It is good to see you my daughter. How are you?" Mom says with a warm tone with her eyes softened. She was not mad at me at all that I ran away. Knowing her, she would think that I did it for a good reason. Mom and Dad would always tell me to follow my heart and over the years I have done just that.

"I am doing great. Oh mom I have missed you." I said as I tried not to cry but it was hard not to. I did miss her and Dad so much. I wanted to tell them about my new life; about John and Fred, going to school in Bayville, and even about joining the X-men.

"And I have missed you, my little lamb. But there are things that you must know." Mom said this in a warm tone to but her eyes narrowed.

"What…mom what do you need to tell me." Questioned her as my head tilted to the side.

"I wish I could tell you all but I can't. Aprill, my sweet daughter, it is time you make the choices that I did when I was your age. People will come to you and ask for you to join them. But only you can make that choice. Not me, your father, or even your best friend." She says thickly as my eyes widened. What choices was she talking about and why couldn't anyone help me. More than that how did she know that I have a best friend?

"What choices. Mom…what do you mean?" asking her as the shadows go over her face again. She started to fade as the light dimmed away. "No mom wait come back!" I screamed as white turned to black, she was gone. I could feel the cool hard floor as people started talking.

"Put the table down Fred." Jeans voice said calmly. A table…oh no what had Fred done. I tried to open my eyes but I couldn't. My whole body was in pain as it tried to heal itself. I could only wonder what all was broken.

"What…Jean?" Fred's voice said as if he was surprised to see her.

"If you want to fight big guy try me!" says a boy's voice that I did not know. God, what all did Fred do that would make more people involved.

"It's ok Scott just go to class. I will handle this." Jean says to the boy as he slowly walked away. "Now it's going to be ok Fred, just calm down." Jean slowly says as she gets off the ground. I hope that she was not hurt.

"They should not have laughed at me." Fred pants as I could hear his heart rate go down. They laughed at him…oh god; Fred could have done anything to Duncan. I hoped that dumb human was not hurt. In fact I hoped that he was not still in the room because I know that I would give him a piece of my mind.

"No they should not have but…" Jean starts to say when Fred cuts her off.

"Wait where is…oh no…Aprill! Oh god…Aprill!" Fred howls as he found me on the ground. I listened to his foot steppes and fast heart as he lifted me off the floor. Once in his arms I started to warm up as Fred held me close to his chest. His scent warmed my blood as he pleaded back my hair to look at my head. "Oh Lily…look at what Duncan did to you. Please…Aprill wake up…just tell me that you are ok." Fred whimpered his plea as his grip tightened around me. With a moan I start to move. The smell and taste of my blood made me dizzy as my eyes opened. The first thing that I could see was Fred's eyes. They were blurry but they softened when he meet my gaze. Fred tried to smile but he was to pain stricken over me to smile. "Lily…its ok, just take it easy. It looks like you were hit hard." Fred says slowly as he looks for any other injurers. Pure power from his body covered me and my lungs were filled with his scent again. Like before it was as if his warmth and scent were healing me.

"You are such a great friend Fred." I said weekly as I placed my hand on his arm that supported my back. To this moment I will never understand why he cares so much. Understand the way that he would care if I got hurt. How Fred has never got week nesses at my beauty. I mean every guy that I ever met would turn to jelly. They could not get out a single word. But Fred is so different from guys like Duncan. Fred's face turned red at that and turned to me. His eyes were soft now and there was not as much pain as there used to be. Just by looking into the depths of his brown eyes I could see how much he cared.

"So are you Lily and I'm glad that you not hurt." Fred sighs as (with no free hands) he brushed the side of his face to mine. That is when Jean started to speak from behind us.

"Oh Aprill are you ok?" Jean asks thickly as she came to look me over. Worry was written all over her face. She was becoming be a great friend to me now and that was good. I did not want to think of her as someone I could not trust.

"Don't worry Jean I'm fine." I reassured her as Fred walks over to her. To my amusement Fred did not put me down and Jean looked even more concerned.

"Fred you do know that you can put her down." Jean said with wide eyes and concern in her voice. Yes, Jean will be a great friend indeed. But the thing that I would not get used to was how cornered she was. The only one that cared so much is Fred and he did that perfectly.

"I know but she is properly dizzy from smelling her blood. So if I put her down now…she could get another head injurer." Fred chuckles half heartedly as he pulled me closer. Looks like he is upset again and Jean just had to say something. Now I will have to try to make him feel better again. I never liked making him unhappy in my life. Even if him getting sad over me being hurt was second nature to Fred.

"Don't worry about it Jean. Besides I think Fred is right about me being dizzy." Saying this as I just noticed that I felt a little sick. I am so glad that Fred knows me that well. At the same time glad that I was in his arms but I wanted to know what my mom meant. I did not know much about her past to begin with. So I have no idea what to do about what she said. Soon I will want to tell Fred about what happened and I knew that would have to wait.

"So as I was saying before. I know a place where you can get training for your gifts." Jean says with a smile and I knew just what she was talking about. It was about time that she talked to Fred about the X-men.

"Training…where?" Fred asks with narrow eyes and head to the side. I think he was not caching on that Jean was mutant just like us. But then again Fred was normally slow with many things and this would take some time.

"Well I learned how to control my gifts at a school where I live." Jean says simply as she finds a chair to sit. Now that I was not so dizzy, I looked around. There were chairs and tables on the ground that had been propped up like shields. With food all over the place and right behind Fred and I was a broken table. Or at least I think it was a table. It was dust and chips of wood now.

"Um Fred…what happened after I blacked out?" asking Fred with surprise. His eyes hardened as he looked down at me and ignores Jean. It was clear that he did not want to talk about this but I had to know.

"Well after Duncan got you out of the way…I tried to go to you but I was slipping. That's when they started to laugh and…and I don't know what happened after that. I was so angry that I must have scared every one out. I just wanted to make sure that you were ok and…and they would not let me go to you. I was so scared that something could have seriously happened to you." Fred sighs with shame and does not look at my gaze. I could see so much more pain now then when this all started. Fred was trying his best to get to me and the humans would not let him. Well that would explain how Fred lost his temper so fast. When it comes to my safety no one gets in Fred's way.

"Oh Fred it's ok. You did everything that you could have done at the time. Besides I'm feeling a lot better knowing that I'm in your arms again. Because I know that I am safest in your embrace." I said thickly as I tried to make him happy. Fred finally smiled at what I said with a red face. He looked down at me again with soft eyes and there was no more pain. What I said was true and Fred knew that. "But now…who was that Scott person?" asking no one in particular so that anyone could answer. At first both Jean and Fred were silent and not looking at me. Don't tell me someone was really hurt but Fred did not look guilty. In fact he was looking right…strait at Jean. His eyes were wide and…soft! Jean was looking at Fred to but me as well and her eyes were not like Fred's. But there was more to Fred's eyes then Jeans…like he wanted to say something but couldn't, so it was shown in his eyes. Soon after two minuets Jean cleared her throat and answered me.

"Scott is a friend of mine…who also gets training for his gifts." Jean was hesitant at first but after a split thought she finished. Then as if Fred just woke up took interest in what Jean just said.

"You mean that you have powers to." Fred says in surprise and I hit myself. I know that he didn't know Jean the telepath but wow. It should have told Fred from the first moment he meet her…something was different. God she even saw him with the lockers this morning and did not freak out. But of cause he did not notice and even now he did not see me hit myself. In all of this Jean just nodes and locks her eyes with mine. _Just stay calm Aprill…I won't hurt you._ Jeans calm voice is in my mind as I could feel something around me. It was a cool force that surrounded me. To my surprise, I could not feel Fred's arms anymore. Soon after it was all over me…and started to move out of Fred's grip. At first Fred did not notice again but after I was slowly in the air, he was stunned. Before he could pull me back…something stopped him. Like Jean was talking in Fred's mind now. The next thing I know Jean slowly flipped me so I was standing up right. Fred backed up so that Jean could put me down gently.

"Wow…that is amazing Jean." Exclaims Fred as he came to my side again. I was not so dizzy any more but dizzy enough that Fred rapped his arm on my shoulders. Wow, when it came to knowing me, inside and out, Fred is on the job.

"See at the insatiate we learn control and understand the gifts we have. I would like to take both of you there sometime…I know the professor would love to meet both of you." Jean says with a smile as I nod in approval.

"We will think about it." Fred says simply as he smiles with her. Jean nods and takes her backpack from the floor. With a wave she walks to the door and a…boy. He was tall with wide, strong shoulders. He has brown hair, fair skin, and his lips were in a hard line. Wearing a light grey shirt and jeans, he had red sunglasses on. This must be the Scott that Jean was talking about. His voice was hard as he greeted Jean. In fact he did not tack his eyes off of Fred. Soon Fred and me were alone but before I could say anything…something catches Fred's eye.

Without a word to me, Fred let me go and walked to a little square on the ground. It was a picture and as Fred picked it was picture of…OMG it was Scott and Jean. This must have fallen out her pack or something. Fred was glad at first but when he saw Scott, his face twisted in…anger. Before I could say anything he tore the picture in half and dropped Scotts face. He smiled happily as he puts Jean's picture in his pock and stepped…crushed Scotts face in the ground. Before I could say a word, Fred walks away without knowing I was there. I looked down at Scotts face in wonder. Why would Fred and Scott hate each other, even more then that…what was going on between Fred and Jean?

The last two classes went by fast and slow somehow. Right after lunch I went to a craft class and Mrs. Swift said I could free draw. It was hard to think with what happened at lunch. At first it was what my mom said when I was out. I was still unsure what she was talking about but I had an idea. What if she was talking about the Brotherhood and X-Men? Well I know that I would have to choice but what did Fred have to do with it. I mean we would go to the X-Men…won't he? Why would he not join them…I know I am and he would not leave me. But the Brotherhood are ok…I think and there is still something about Pietro that I don't like. Then there is what Rogue said with all that change talk. Other then all that there is what's going on with Fred, Jean and now Scott. It was clear that Scott cared about Jean but what about Fred? What did Fred do that made Scott so upset? It's like Scott is seeing something that I can't and then there the whole thing with Fred's eyes. When I asked about Scott, it seemed that he did not want to talk about him. But the biggest thing was the picture. Fred seemed to really hate Scott for some reason. But how was Jean in the middle of it all?

Finally the bell rang and I walked to study hall in the library. Turns out that Mrs. Hook is the librarian as well and has study hall in that wonderland of books. Anyway I had not seen Fred or Jean ever scene lunch. It started to worry me that he was not around again, even more now that Fred was fighting with Scott. I could not even read my Romeo and Juliet without thinking about Fred. The way that Fred's face turned to pure angry so fast. How he just left me in the lunchroom without a word. What is happening to him? Somehow I was starting to see Fred as some evil person.

Like a bloodthirsty monster with pointed teeth. I felt like crap and lost as the last bell rang. I wanted to find Jean and tell her my fears, but I was not finding her. With all my homework in my backpack I walked out of the building. I was trying to find Fred or Jeans scent but they seemed to be outside. First I could smell Jean and one of her Friends. About ten feet from the building was a clump of bushes. They were about a foot taller than me and thick. Suddenly Fred's scent ran down my spine. Fred was behind the bushes and had run into Jean but did not smell like it was an accident. It's like he was…waiting for me. No, it must have been only Jean. Then when I gazed at the ground…were Jeans books. What the hell was he doing to her? As I sniffed closer as there scents moved together to the left. With a sigh I followed as the scent lead me deeper in the grounds. Looking around everything was under contortion. I remember Mrs. Swift saying that they were adding to the school. So why would Jean and Fred come here. After about five minutes I could hear a loud sound of thunder and a scream. It was like the melt frame of the building was coming down.

"Oh no." whispering to myself as the sounds stopped. I ran to the echoed sound as both Jeans and Fred's scents mixed with earth. By the time that I got to the corner I was shocked. Dust was cleaning as I could see hundreds of melt pipes were on the ground. I was about to lung in to find anyone when…there was a grunt. In the mist of the pile a large figure broke free. It was Fred and in his arms was…Jean! Her eyes were closed and blood stained a line on her face.

"Jean! Oh my god, Jean. Fred, what the hell happened?" I almost scream as I flow over the pipes and landed next to Jean. Fred was in a state of panic and did not answer so that is when I hit him. With all my strength I backhanded him in the shoulder. The impacted was like a crack of thunder and I repeated myself. "Fred, damn it Trucker! What the hell happened?" I yelled my snarl at him as he faced me. Still panic stricken there was pain in his eyes.

"I don't know what happened but let's get her out of here." Fred says flatly as we started to walk. There was something in Fred's voice…his eyes that told me that there was more. Like it was as if Fred did not want me to know.

First I was not sure how being at an old sow mill was going to help Jean. I tried to protect but Fred did not pay addition to me. Then there was the fact that he left me with her. Fred did not tell what for even when I asked.

"But what are you getting and where are you going?" asking with concern as he handed Jean gentle over to me.

"Just stay and protect her with your life." Fred said with raw power as he walked out. He had never talked to me like that before. I mean protecting Jean I could do but why did he say it with such force. So for the next hour I laid Jean on a table that was in a backroom, and waited. I wished that Jean would wake up and help me. Better yet…have anyone to help me. Fred was gong crazy and I had no idea why. That is when I remembered what Rogue told me. _I don't know your friend but this place changes people…if you're not careful you lose Fred's good side._ Ok, now I think that the whole Brotherhood is an evil place. Besides Rogue, the others are changing Fred and we had only been there for three days. So when Fred came back I was not happy. I did not say a thing because I was in shock. Fred did bring food and water but he also got…candles? What the hell does he need hundred (wow) some red candles. This got even stranger when Fred…tided Jean to a chair with melt bars!

"Ok what the hell are you doing trucker?" I hissed as Fred put down the last candle. When it came to calling him trucker was when I was truly pissed at him. At this point, I think I have never been madder at him in all my life. Surprisingly Fred just smiled and looked at me. I was being purely surcease and Fred was thinking that this was funny. What the hell, Jean may need real help and Fred was not getting it.

"Oh don't worry Lily it's just a big surprise for Jean." Fred says with pure happiness. Ok now he was scaring me. What on earth would make Fred think that this is a party? Without me knowing her medical condition everything about this was wrong. Now I am starting to think that I will just take Jean out of this place. Even if Fred is going to kill me, I would have no choice.

"Why is it her Birthday or something?" I asked with my head titled. It had been one day and he already knew her Birthday? But Fred simplify laughed at this and put his hand on my shoulder. There is something about that made me flinch. Not in the normal warm, safe feeling. No, this was a pull away moment and fight. I could not believe what I was thinking. Why would I ever want to fight with Fred? Like really fight with Fred…no fun, no training…a real bloody fight. Now that I am so scared, I really did step back from him. But Fred did not seem to mind or even notice that step.

"Much more special than that Aprill." Fred grinned as he turned and walked to Jean. So I was left in the corner by the window and waited. Jean was starting to stir in the melt biers and I stood there, patiently to see what would happen next.

"Where am I and how did I get here." Jean says in a dazes and looked around the room. All I can say was that she was just as shocked as I am. So when she looked right at me, her eyes were wide. "Aprill what is going on?" 

"I wish I know Jean." I whispered more to myself then Jean. I did not know what was happening. Weather it was Fred with Jean or Fred changing…I just did not know anymore.

"Tonight will be the best night you ever had, dinner in the candle light and dancing under the stares." Fred smiles wide as he placed a napkin on her lap.

"Fred, you can't force someone to like you. Normally being nice works so much better." Jean said in a calm voice. What…force someone to like you? Is this what this was all about…about Fred liking Jean? Ok, now I think I am an idiot. How could I not see that Fred was…well…crushing on her? That much has been in his eyes all day. Even more with what happened in the lunchroom and why Fred tour that pitcher in half. He hated the fact that Jean was getting the eye from Scott. God, this is so not how I wanted to let first day of school. But out of all of this I was somehow jealous. I don't know why about this whole did not settle right with me at all.

"Oh I just remembered. I will be right back." Fred sweetly said as he walked out. Before he left, Fred turned to me with hard eyes. "Keep a protective eye on her Lily." Fred said with no warmth at all. It was like the boy that walked out of the room was a demon. I tried not to cry as I sat on the ground. Rapping my arms on my nesses and stared into nothing. Trying to bring the warmth that Fred zapped out of me. Fred has only given me warmth and safety but in a few words…it was all gone. All the caring about me, healing my wounds, just being my friend was gone. I felt so cold, so dead inside that I was close to not breathing.

"Aprill…are you ok?" Jean asked in worry.

"No…I don't think so. What the hell has happened to Freddy?" I sobbed my plea more then I wanted to. I felt as if I was on ice and just as cold as his voice as the blood in my vanes turned to ice. What was happening to the guy that warmed my blood? The guy that made me feel a sun in my heart. Now my heart was beating in the coldest water. Not even Jean's kind words warmed my soul. No matter how much any one tried only Fred could bring back that warmth. But at this point I was good as dead. I was no longer safe anywhere on this planet. Fred did not care about me any more…did not even know that I was alive.

"Look Lily…I am so sorry for what is happening. I did not think that he would…um…love me." She cleared her throat uncomfortably as she went silent. I was thinking that she would have talked to Scott or the professor for help by now. But we were gone for some time. Then after five minutes it hit me, what was taking Fred so long but I could not move to find out. It was like I was frozen to the ground. But then there was a yell and a crash from outside.

"What on earth!" I exclaimed as I jumped to my feet. As soon as I opened the door I was stunned. First of all Fred was in a battle with someone. I did not get a good look at him but I could smell…Logan! What the hell was he doing fighting Fred? Before I could move Logan (Wearing yellow and blue tits) lunged at Fred. With a grin Fred grabbed Logan's wrists and held himself away from Logan's adamantium claws. As soon as it started Fred flung forward and tried crushing Logan!

"Jean's my friend, mine, and you can't have her." Fred sneered at Logan, who could barely breathe. I could not believe what I was seeing. Like I have feared all day, Fred was turning into some monster. I never thought that he would ever try to kill someone. But then there was me. I felt sick seeing Fred doing this to Logan. My stomach rolled as I saw the hate in his eyes and the grin on his face.

"We are just giving her away out and you are in the way." A boy's voice came from the doorway. He was wearing black and blue tits and had a gold vise over his eyes. With a red line that ran in the center. Wait I know that voice and brown hair…OMG its Scott! Oh man…Scott is going to kill Fred for stealing Jean. Once again before I could move Scott moved a hand to the side of his face. His vise started to glow as, to my surprise, raw, red beams of power came from his eyes. Wow, now that is a cool power. Even more shocking is that Fred just tock it and did not move. Fred just made that must evil grin at Scott and pushed to him. In no time Fred had Scotts face in his massive hand. Then in the blink of the eye he thought both Scott and Logan out the door. Fred had a smile of approval and walked to where I stood in shock.

"There that should…" Fred started to say but I cut him off.

"Fred are you out of your bloody mind? Scott cares about Jean and no shit that would bring the X-men. Are you trying to get yourself killed?" I snarl with pure fury at him. Fred just stared at me with confession and wonder. Now even in his gaze, I still did not feel warm. The sad fact is I was even more scared of him.

"Kill myself? Aprill don't make me laugh, I handled it just fine." Fred said with humor in his eyes. His head was coked to the side and looked at my expression. I wanted to run from him but I know that I could not. No matter what just happened, Fred still looked and sounded the same. And I knew that no matter how hard I tried I would not be able to run.

"Ya but not without killing Scott or Wolverine, they are trying to save Jean and not get killed!" I hissed at Fred as his face hardened. Now he seemed to be pissed.

"What…Lily don't tell me that you are on their side?" Fred said coldly. His hand was pointing to where he through Scott and Logan, then behind me to where Jean was. That is when I started to see hurt in his eyes. I could tell that me betraying him was just as hard as him betraying me. I could see that Fred did not think that he betrayed me at all. How he did not understand fully of how much he scared me. And that is what hurt me the most. How could he not know how he hurt me?

"I am with you Freddy but what you are doing now is not nice and is not like you. The Fred I know would never do something like that. Something that would scare me so much and would not make me feel safe anymore." I said thickly as I walked forward and laid my hands on his chest. I started to feel the power and warmth again but scared that I would lose it again…I rapped my arms around his neck. With a sigh I barred my face under his chin and cried. Fred shivered at the touch around his neck. It was as if he could feel how cold I have become. With a sigh Fred moved his arms around me. Like I was on the sun or the hottest star, my body was in flames. He rested his chin on my head and breathed in my hair. With each breath taken it sent a shiver down my spine. The sound of his heart was music to my ears and I felt safe. After all of this day I felt the way I did back home. When John would stop the crowd and I would tell Fred that everything would be ok, how Fred would tell me the same. Just like in the car coming to Bayville I felt whole. That I was becoming one with Fred again and that was how it should be. But I was still scared that cold would come back. I could not even stop myself from crying. Fred started patting my head gently and shushing me calm. He hated it when I cried and this was just as hard for him.

"I'm sorry Lily…about hurting and scaring you. I just care about Jean so much and I let it get the better of me. Lily I care about you to and like I said you are my family." Fred sighed in despair as his grip tightens around my shoulders. He was in a lot of pain; I could feel it in my bones. But he was trying to calm me down as well as himself.

"Fred…you are like family and I know that you are sorry. Like all ways I forgive you and…stop being in so much pain." My throat was so thick it was hard to speak. Fred sighed again and lifted me off the ground and into his arms. Then for some reason he brushed his free hand along me neck. With deep breaths somehow my throat was turning back to normal. "How did you do that?" asking deeply as he resided his index finger in the middle of my throat. His eyes are filled with life again. All that evil that I saw before was gone and Fred was himself again.

"I just know you to well Lily. Come on let's get Jean out of here." Fred smiles with bright eyes. I turned slightly red as he walked to the door. Fred did know me and I was glad that he was himself again. But as soon as Fred opened the door my heart sank. One of the large melt cabinets was in the air and was flung right at Fred's face. He yelled in surprise as he let me go. I let my body fall to the ground as I looked up at Fred in horror. With a face of pure anger, Fred faced Jean.

"I should have known! You pretended to be my friend!" Fred snarls as through the cabinet at Jean. When it was a foot way she stopped it. With her mind, she gently laid it on the floor on her right. Fred stared Jean down as he walked over to a generator. With a grunt Fed pulled it out of the ground. He faced Jean and me with the generator over his head, as he was ready to…through it!

"No Fred wait…"I scream as he came closer. Before I could get off the floor…someone came from behind Fred. A five-foot…female figure came to Fred's left side. She took both her hands and touched Fred's right arm. Fred yelled in surprise as the figure griped his arm. The generator fell behind both of them as the figure did the impossible. Moving one hand to Fred's wrist, she lifted him over her head and flung him. With more surprise he broke through the brick wall and light shined on the figure.

"What the hell…Rogue is that you?" I was surprised and was so glad to see another friend. Her misty blue eyes were filled with worry as she came by me. "OMG…Rogue how did you do that?" I asked when she stood in front of me. She let out her hand so I could get to my feet. In the sort time I knew her, she never showed any powers but her combat skills are impressive.

"Hi, Aprill…well I can absorb peoples strength, memorize and in this cases powers. Just with one touch I got some of Fred's power and mind." She said calmly as she explained. Well that explained the whole thing with her cloths. As she spoke she held up her hand to make some point. Now that was a power that I never heard of before. The fact that Rogue—as small as she is—could lift Fred over her was amazing. But Rogue and I are about the same height, so it was not that big of a deal. If you have super strength you can do what Rogue just did. I know I could if I ever had to.

"Wow that is a cool power. I mean it has it uses." I said this with a smile. That was a dumb thing to say. There were parts of this power that had its good sides. But everything that has a good side does have a bad side, somewhere. I could only wonder what that power could fully do to one person. Let alone the person who wields that power.

Rogue shrugged her shoulders with a small smile. "I guess. But I can take more than one. See I know I need more…"

"Say no more Rogue. You can take some of my power. It's ok." I say in a smile as I held up my hand. Rogue pulled back the hand that was between us. I guess that she is just as scared of her power as I wondered about it. So Rogue hesitated at first but I stood still. Fred needed to be stopped and I was not sure that I could fully do that. So I was glad Rogue was here. I hated to let someone else do this but could I really see myself stopping him with fighting. Then he would think that I have betrayed him and that is something that I did not want. With a sigh, Rogue placed her index finger on my palm. There was a spark of force as my strength and pieces of memory were pulled from me. It was over in a few moments when she pulled away. I felt a little dizzy but was not in any pain. Now that I have felt the power I fully understood. If Rogue held on for too long, she could take all of the person's strength, making them weak till they would fall into a coma. That is when Fred came back to face Rogue.

"Is that the best you got? Come on let's see what else you have…" That is when he glanced at me and saw that I was dizzy. "…What the hell did you do to Lily?" Fred demanded as he tried to come to me. But Rogue grabbed his wrist with her gloved hand as he walked passed her. There was a deep growl in her chest as she slowly flew off the ground. With narrow eyes she lifted Fred off the ground. Fred yelled in protest but could not get free. Rogue roared like the tiger as she flung him through the roof. Fred yelled as he spun in mid-air. Then Rogue high kicked Fred to the left. He flew in the air till he was out of sight. I screamed as I ran outside to see him go. Passing Scott and Logan as I held out my hand to him, tease filled my eyes as I fell to my nesses in shock.

Minuets passed before more X-men showed. None of them bothered me as they helped Scott, Jean, and Logan. At this point they were all outside and Rogue was by me. I did not care about much else; Fred had just been kicked to nowhere. I could not stop thinking about where he could have landed. All I wanted to do was to go out there and find him. To tell him that everything would be ok and that I was still his friend. Fred was only trying to see if I was ok when Rogue kicked him out. Now I was thinking about how worried he could be. How whenever he saw Rogue again, that he would kill her. Well not literally but when he was sure that I was ok, Fred would talk to Rogue.

Rogue's voice and eyes are filled with concern. "Aprill, are you going to be ok?" It was clear that she did not like what she did. I could tell that she knew that she did not think that she did the right thing. But Rogue also knew about Fred and me, I even told her about the events that led to this. Turns out that Rogue was trying to find me after school, but she had no luck so she went to do a project with her partner Scott. Lucky for her, Scott was one of the first X-Men to be told about Jeans disappearance. Scott knew right away that Fred was the one that took her. Then he asked Rogue if she knew anything about it. The only thing that she said was that she could not find Fred or me after school. So when the X-Men found the location of this warehouse, Rogue followed.

"Um…yes I will be ok." I stammered as she helped me to my feet. I was not too happy about how things turned out. Also I was not so enthused about going to school ever again. God, this was the weirdest day of my life. The biggest thing that I did not want to do was talk to the X-Men. Then as if I yelled what I was thinking Scott walked over to us.

"So you helped stop Blob. Why?" Scott asked Rogue more than me. This was the one X-Man that I did not want to talk to. I could tell that he was pissed about what happened but I was surprised that he was not yelling at us. It was clear that Scott is thinking that I helped Fred do this but Jean had told him the whole story. Even the part _where I had nothing to do with this_. However, the name that Scott just gave Fred pissed me off.

My eyes narrowed as my lips pulled back in a snarl. Looking around I could see that everyone knew that Scott just hit a nerve. "His name is Fred and…"

"I came to help Aprill not your friend pretty boy." Rogue cuts me off as she snickered at Scott. That seemed to piss him off but he keeps his cool. He knew that he made the wrong move and tried again. Scott was almost like the leader of the X-Men but I knew that was not true. Scott was trying hard not to let his personal feeling get the better of him.

"So does this mean that you are with us or what Rogue…Aprill?" Scott asked as he changed the subject. That is when Rogue and I looked at each other. This was the one thing that I wanted. To join the group that my mother was apart off, I wanted to make her and father proud. But after tonight I was not so sure that Fred was going to join the X-Men. And I had to find him before he hurt himself or worse…someone else.

"Well I don't know but right now I don't want to be by Jean or you for that matter Scott." I answered as I heard Jean gasp. I could tell that Scott had something to say but I did not let him. I could also feel Logan's gaze on me. I could tell that he did not want me to go but knew that I needed time to think. Even in those brief moments we made eye contact. Logan did not have to say a word for it was all in his eyes. He wanted to understand this better and talk to me about this. For a moment I wanted to but I knew that I still had to go. So before Scott could say a word I turned on my heel and walked away. Rogue fallowed as we walked away from the X-men. I didn't like the Brotherhood but I needed to find Fred.


	9. Chapter 8: Life with the Brotherhood

Chapter Eight

Life with the Brotherhood

Ok so leaving the X-men was a weird idea but being with the Brotherhood was just as weird. But I knew that I could not be with the X-men right now. The fact is I have to find Fred and the Brotherhood was the first place to look. I need to find him before he started bring down builds and scaring the humans. If that happened then the X-Men would be there in no time and I did not want that. Even if I wanted to talk to Logan and what I wouldn't give to see how he is. It has been so many years scene I ever really talked to him. Logan is like an uncle to me and loved me like his own daughter. Rogue said that I was doing the right thing. But I still was looking back at the look in Logan's eyes. He wanted to know what had happened and he wanted to hear it from me. It does not surprise me that Logan was not told yet. They were more worried about Scott and Jean. That made scene because he was also a fast healer. By the time that Rogue and I got home it was dark. And when we got there, I was glad that I started looking here first. The place was shacking and Lance, Pietro, and Toad were outside. Rogue stood by Toad as I walked to Lance and Pietro. I could smell Fred's scent and could hear a very fast heart rate. God, I never thought that a heart could ever go so fast. I could also hear the hurt, pain, and anger in each breath that he was taking. So many emotions rolled in his throat as he said my name under his breath.

"What the hell is going on?" Rogue and I say together as a pile of dishes shot through the kitchen window. Pietro and Toad tried to catch all the plats as Lance turned to me. The look in his brown eyes told me that he was scare. None of them could ever control Fred in this rage. It was clear that Lance was demanding an explosion for this. But he wanted more than that was for Fred to stop.

"Aprill, thank God. It's Fred…he is pissed out of his mind. One minute he comes home without you or Rogue and when we asked what happened. He started tarring the whole place apart. You have to do something." Lance's eyes were still wide as he remembered what happened before they came outside. That is when we all could hear Fred yell as glass shattered.

"Me…what am I supposed to do that you could not do." I asked Lance in surprise.

"Aprill don't be stupid. You and Fred have been friends forever. Don't you know how to calm him down?" Lance says simply. That was the first time I was not sure if I could. What could I say or do that would matter. Fred was probably mad at me for not stopping Rogue. I could still hear my name under Fred's breath. Each time agony was wrapped around my name…like it was hard for him to say that name. Then there was a hand on my shoulder.

"You can do it Aprill." I looked over my shoulder to see Pietro. His blue eyes were soft and warm as he smiled at me. The way that he smiled warmed my blood. How I was not sure but it gave me strength. I nodded and turned to Lance.

"Ok I will give it my best." Saying as I walked pass him and to the door. Fred yelled again and this time it was my name. It was as if he knew that I was coming. His heart was stilling going faster as I closed in on the door. Opening the door I saw the damage Fred had done. Many of the kitchen cabinets doors were on the floor. Some shattered to bits with broken plates and glass. Fist sized holes covered the walls and haft of the stairs railing was broken as well. Then in the living room were more holes. The window was broken as well and Fred was sitting on the couch. He was bent over with both hands on his head. Fred eyes were dull and stared into nothing but the floor. Still with a fast heart I sighed as I stood in the doorway.

How could this have happened? Fred looked so broken down and hurt but it was a good thing that he had stopped or else this could have been much harder. It was almost like he knew that I was coming and that was why he stopped. Still sighing I walked slowly forward on broken glass and the sound didn't seem to move him. So I gently sat by him and rested my hands on his shoulder.

"Freddy…are you ok?" asking softly as I tried to make eye contact. Fred did not move and was breathing hard. God, Fred was so upset and did not hear a word or he did hear what I was saying and just did not care. I rested one hand in the bend of his elbow but that did not move him either. "Freddy it's me…come on please say something." Still not saying anything, he started to move. Fred did not look at me but he started to talk.

"Why…how could that have happened? Now I have lost Jean…no to hell with her. I lost Lily…oh poor, poor Lily…what have I done?" Fred's voice cracked as he sobbed. My heart just could not stop breaking. His hands fell from his face and into his lap. I still could not believe that he did not feel my hands. The hand on his elbow tightened as I tried talking again.

"Oh Fred…it's ok. Don't blame yourself and don't worry…I am here." saying in a soothing voice and Fred's eyes finally started to shine. I patted his arm with my words and I was happy to see his eyes brightening.

"Aprill…" Fred said in surprise as he looked at me. His eyes became wide as he gazed at my face. A single tease left his eyes and rolled down his cheek. Fred did not cry that much and only did when something was terribly wrong. I smiled at him as I placed the hand on his shoulder on his cheek. Fred shivered at that touch and gave a sound almost like a moan. His eyelids went haft away down his eyes. It was like he was going to fall asleep but there was more that he wanted to say. "Oh Lily, you are here…after all that happened you came back to me." He spook breathlessly as his right arm went around my waist. Fred placed his other hand on mine that was on his other arm. As Fred started to pull me to him, the hand on his cheek moved to his neck. He swallowed hard as my hand gently went over his skin. It was like he was scared of me but he was not pulling away, only closer.

"Of course I would come back. What are friends for…I know what happened was bad but we will make it through." Saying in a gentle tone and the last thing that I wanted to do was get him sad again. His eyes were filled with happiness and friendly love once more. Warmth and safety filled my sense again and was being overwhelmed by them. It was nice to see things were going back to normal again but there was something in his eyes. A thought was nagging at him that he had to ask.

"But what about the X-men…" Fred said this slowly so that he would not make me mad. But he could tell that all I wanted was for him to be happy and to fully understand what happened and why.

"Scow the X-men, the way they handled the situation was out of line…and just to say, I am pissed at Jean." Cutting Fred off with a hiss and with more hatred then I wanted but Fred was laughing. His eyes started to have a more serious tone now. Fred did not see me really pissed at anything before and when he did…well he did not think it was really me. I have a gentler, calmer nature then that and it made Fred serious. Even if he had the same feels as me, he kept the seriousness but put in some humor.

"Wow Lily I have never thought I would here that from you…" Fred says sweetly as he looked deeply in my eyes. With a big grin on his face, he pulled me even closer. His grip on my hip tightened. Fred's hand that was on mine went through my fingers. Out of my control, my hand that is on his neck went down his throat. Slowly I traced the banes of muscle. Fred's gripped me tighter as my fingers ran slowly to his collarbone. His breath was coming deeply as his eyes closed and moaned once more. Finally I rested that hand on his chest so I could feel the beating of his heart. Fred was smiling as he opened his eyes again. They were filled with an emotion that I never saw in him before. Now to my embarrassment, I was breathing deeply and catching my breath. "…You are such a sweet, kind and…" Fred said so deep that it was hard to understand him. Like on the car ride to Bayville his face was only inches away from me. "And gentle of a girl." He finished as his breath covered my face. It was warm and filling with the emotion that I never saw in him.

"Freddy…" I started to say but my eyes lids were heavy and I just noticed how tired I was. Fred grinned and slowly pulled me off the couch. It was clear that there was something that Fred wanted to say but he saw that I was tired. But I wanted to know what he wanted to say or do. To ask of the emotion that was now hiding behind normal feelings. It was as if he keeps that emotion barded deep in the depths of his eyes. For I could no longer see it and could only remember and wondered what it's name is and what it means. More than that I wanted to know what had come over me that made him moan. Fred has never moaned over anything in his life. Was it in pain or in some weird pleasure? But the buzz of sleep was breaking my thoughts and I just rested in his arms, for the moment. As the others came in the room, Fred was looking me over.

"Good, you are not hurt." Fred sighs in relief as Lance spoke.

"Great work Aprill. Well it's getting late so lest go to bed." Lance yawned as he started up the stairs. "Oh and Fred…you can clean this shit up in the morning." Lance yelled from the top of the stairs. Fred rolled his eyes with a groan and I could not stop laughing.

The next few weeks were nice in some ways. Just as Lance said Fred had to clean the place up. It was not all bad…well if you call rebuilding a whole first floor of a house easy. Then yes it's not too bad. Lance was not sure about me helping but I did anyway. It was not just the fact that the damage was my fault to but Fred could not do it alone. The truth is Fred is not that bright when it comes to building things. So we missed school to clean up the place. By the time Lance and the others came home…the house was almost normal. Lance was imprested at the job but was not sure about the holes, that and the cabinets in the kitchen, the staircase railing, and the living room window. In the end we decided to fix it when we could. Over the time that we were cleaning I could not stop thinking about the night before. I was wondering more about the nameless emotion then how I acted. Even now every time that I looked at him, I try to find it again. But Fred raised an eyebrow every time that I looked at him long. He did not talk about that night or what could have happened. That is the thing, what could have happened? Well I don't know and for the moment the emotion was the only thing impotent.

Other then fixing my new home, things were fine. It was almost the end of September and school was nice. Well…as nice as it could be. Fred was not too happy about Rogue or Jean or even Scott. At times Rogue would be a smart ass to Fred just to make a point. It's been more of playful teasing but still pissed each other off. Rogue did what she did because Fred was out of control but Fred says that she did not need to do that. If anyone should have done it, it should have been me. Funny I was thinking the same thing. Then there was Jean. She does not talk to him at all but they still hated each other. Just the look in their eyes said that they would kill each other. Well not as bad as Scott wanted to kill Fred. Now the looks they gave each other was cold and they would kill each other if it weren't for Jean and me. Lance said that it was funny for Scott to size up to Fred. So it was funny but scary to. Not only did Fred out size and weight Scott but also Fred is also ten-times stronger. Scott did not pick fights to well and Fred was the perfect example. Anyway, school would go better if the X-men didn't look at me. Jean was the worst and followed by some girl named Kitty Pride. She has brown hair that looks red in the right light. Always would have in up with long bangs that framed her face. With fair skin and light blue eyes, she would always be in a good mood. Talk about a popular girl who could a cheerleader. To my amusement Fred said the same.

"Girls like that really get under my skin." He murmured to me on the second week. Kitty was talking to Jean about something and started to skip with joy. Fred's face turned pale and shivered with a cough. I got worried but I saw the humor in his eyes. God, Fred has to worn me when he is going to make fun of someone. Kitty stopped and glared at him. Ok it was not nice but was funny too. Later Pietro explained that she came to Bayville with Lance, which made many things clear when Lance found out about Fred and Kitty. It turns out that he can shot these sound like waves out of his hands. At first I thought he could just move the earth but that was not all true. Lance through Fred around a few times but nothing more, so Lance loved Kitty. Then there was Toad and every girl around town. Weather it was Rogue or me he would such a terrible flirt. Rogue would slap him and I did to but Fred would beat me to it.

"Toad, damn it, we doing Bio homework, get out!" Fred snarled at Toad as he threw him out of the living room. At first I laughed but then hit Fred in the arm. Next there was Pietro. He was not as bad as the others and is nice to me. For the most part he did not say much but was ok. After four weeks Pietro and Lance gave Fred and I code names. I was not happy when they called Fred "The Blob". But he was ok with it and loved it when I was called "Tigerlily". He slung his arm on my shoulders with a grin. I asked why he likes the name but he said it suited me. That is true because I love tigers and Lily was my nickname any way. Now thinking about it, Fred's show name was Fred the Blob Dukes. And John had given me Tigerlily as a show name also. But no one had told the Brotherhood that. Neither Fred nor me brought up much about our pasts, I didn't even tell Rogue. He does not like thinking about show life but is starting to miss John. Or maybe not, I don't know, these days it's hard to read Fred's expression. Lance was called Avalanche and Pietro was Quick Silver, then Toad and Rogue were just called by their names, which I think was odd. I started to wonder if there are ranks in this place. But Lance explained that all there was a team leader and that was him. Or at least that is the way that he saw it. Also all the members of this team are equal and became a little family.

Then there is the fact that I don't know the person who owns the house. Pietro has said that we have a "boss" that tells us what to do but I had no idea who this person was. Even when it comes to Darkhome, I still don't know much. Pietro told me that she was like the second in command and the main boss is unknown. Well that is just great, I don't know who I am answering to. I have tried to ask Fred but he told me the same thing. Ok, at least Fred is on the same page as me. But I still think that he is not telling me something. Now I really want to know because Lance is saying we are going to a summer camp.

"Camp, what the hell for?" Rogue asked as we all got in the living room. I nodded with her, not liking the idea of camp. The only people who seemed to know what is going on is Lance and Pietro. It is mid-October and Freddy and I have been in Bayville for six or seven weeks. At first Lance did not say a word but looked at Pietro. He nodded as he sat by me with Fred on the other side of me. Rogue grinned when my face turned red when Pietro smiled at me but Fred on the other hand was sneering at him. It was becoming clear that Pietro was becoming a good friend. Rogue is thinking that he has feelings for me. I have to disagree, we are just friends and by the look of things Fred might be thinking like Rogue. I have never really dated anyone before but Fred has said in the past that the guy will be told to watch it. Rogue is also saying that Fred might have feeling for me to but…that was totally wrong. He is my best friend and like a brother. So I think it's a brother's job to be protective.

"Ok…we are going to some camp in the Redwoods. It will be good for all of us." Lance spoke as we all looked at each other. Why on earth would it be a good idea to go? We got all the training we needed here. I also have never really been to a camp before, I guess it could be ok, even if Lance is not really saying why we have to go.

"Why should we? What is so special about it?" I questioned Lance as the others nodded in agreement. Right now I did not care if we go but I want to really know why. Clearly this was not Lance's idea, so that made this plan more supposes.

Pietro answered me calmly. "Because the boss wants us to go, something about the X-Men are going to be there." That was the one thing that I did not want to hear. I did not want to spend time at a camp with X-Men. But maybe after all these weeks I could talk to Logan. That is something that I have wanted to do for some time. Other then the fact that Logan might be there, I hated this plan.

"What…the X-Men? Who the hell dose this boss person think he is. What could we get from following them?" I sneered as I looked at Lance. Once again they looked as if they know who it was or at least had a good idea. Pietro seemed to be the only one who really knew who this person is. That much was clear but I stayed calm so that anyone could answer.

"Look, do not worry Lily…it will be fun." Fred and Pietro say together with calm tones. They sired at each other with hate in their eyes. I could not understand what was making them act this way. It was one thing for Fred to be protective but this just did not make scene. I am a friend with Rogue and Fred did not get pissed. In fact they were becoming good friends as well. So what was so bad about Pietro that got Fred so mad?

"Ok stop it you two! We leave in two hours so get ready." Lance hissed as he pinched the bridge of nose. Rogue and Toad are on the floor laughing as Fred and Pietro's faces turned red. Both them have fast heart rates and are clearly embarrassed. I just rolled my eyes, got up, and walked upstairs to pack.

Just like Lance said we were out the door after two hours. A long yellow bus waited on the road for us. One big ass bus that could even hold Fred…God, I could be mean to him. Anyway, Pietro took my bags to the back of the bus, and then Fred let me in first so we could find a place to sit. I have never gotten so much addition from two guys before. Well, that did not include John in Texas. The only difference was that these guys are my age. So I was not that used to this treatment but at least it was normal for Fred to do this. Pietro on the other hand was a good friend and did not think that his kindness was strange. Then as soon as I got a good look inside, I was disappointed. The X-Men were going to share the same bus with us? God, this is going to be a long ride to the Redwoods. Scott sat with Jean and as we passed, Scott gave Fred a smug grin.

"Blob" he sneered under his breath as we passed. I gave him a warning glance. I did not like this anymore then he did but I did not want him making fun of Fred. A growl came from my chest as my lips pulled back in a snarl. Scott was not looking like he was going to back down. At my side, Fred chuckled at my stand still with Scott and gave a grin back.

Fred's voice was cold when he answered. "Four-eyed freak."

"Scott take it easy. Hello Aprill…Fred." Jean held Scott back as she smiled at both of us. Fred grunted and looked away as I nodded. Close behind Scott and Jean, is where Rogue and Toad sat. Then Lance sat with Kitty and by look on her face, Lance is trying too hard to impress her. Then Pietro sat alone as he looked at two guys sitting in front of him. The first was Even Daniels—I think—is dark skinned, light brown eyes, and with blond hair. His hair was just under his ears and looked un-brushed. Next to Even; was blue haired, light skinned, and dark blue eyes guy. Now he was Kurt Wagner and I believe that he is from Germany. Also with ear length hair, everyone on the bus is wearing shorts, tank tops, or short-sleeved shirts. Fred and I sat in the back of the bus. When we did this the others joined us. Lance said goodbye to Kitty and Pietro stopped picking on Even. Lance and sat with Pietro to the right of me as Rogue and Toad sat in front of us.

"So what are we looking for?" Fred murmured to anyone to answer. At first no one answered as the bus started to move. I could tell that Lance was not telling us something and Pietro as well. It got me mad to think that things are being kept from me. If I was going to stay with these weird people, other than Fred and Rogue, I wanted to know all the plans that I am involved in. So, of course, I would have loved to answer but I had the same question. Moments passed before Lance decided to answer.

"The main thing is to mess with them. See if we can get them in trouble. Other than that—try to have a little fun." Lance finished with a grin. His eyes turned soft again as he looked at Kitty. I guess that is his way of saying that he was having fun. I snickered at my thought and saw that Rogue was doing the same.

"Get them into trouble? Can't we do that any where?" Rogue put in with a raised eyebrow. Now that was a good point. In all the time that I have been here we have gotten the X-Men mad at many things. Weather it was just passing in the hall, with poisons words, and could get into fights. That really got fun when Scott would confront me. I remember on the thread week when I was walking in the hall in lunch. One minute I was rounding a corner. The next I was pressed against the wall with Scott in my face.

Scott spoke calmly as he held me to the wall. It was clear that he just wanted to talk but he made the wrong move. "Ok, I just want to have a quick word Lily just don…"

"Get off of me Scott. I would love to talk but not under these conditions." I hiss as I try to get free. Believe me I could but I had to not make too much of a scene. So Scott was able to keep me there as long as he wanted.

"Look, I know that you don't want to talk but I have too. Just to see if you…" Scott started to say but someone grabbed him and through him back. He hit the lockers hard as Freddy stood between us. Fred must I have been wandering what was taking me so he came looking. I could tell that he was not happy to see that Scott was pinning me to a wall.

"Don't you ever touch Lily again! Do you understand me four-eyes because if not I will break you." Fred snarls as he gave Scott a death stair. With that Fred turned to me with round eyes. "Lily, are you ok did he hurt you?" I shook my head as he led the way to the lunchroom.

Anyway, we could make fun of them when ever. So I still did not understand why a camp would make that any better.

"Ya, we can get under their skin any time of the week. What could a crummy camp do?" Toad added with a laugh. At first no one answered but Pietro gave him a cold look. Toad was hopping in his seat as he spotted some flies. With narrow eyes he found one he liked and catches it with his long tongue. God that was the worst thing about Toad and Rogue put her hand on his shoulder to sit him down. Pietro just rolled his eyes and finally answered.

"Because slim ball…it's not so much that we want to annoy them but to hurt their pride." Pietro sounded like a know-it-all as always. Toad and Rogue seemed to love that idea. Even Fred, with his arms crossed over his chest, chuckled at the thought of hurting Scott's pride. In some ways I liked it to but I was not that evil of a person. I think that is the one thing about the Brotherhood that I really did not like. They are like some kind of gang and try to run everything. But that is not who I am…that is not the way my parents raised me. Sure the only reason why I was staying with them—was because Fred was here. But is that really wroth showing the world that I am what my dad used to be. Yes, it was worth it, just to make sure that Fred was ok. Then being like the Kingpin that scared millions of people in New York.

No I knew that I would never be like that but I could not believe my father was like that. Back when he was the Kingpin, he would steal and kill without remorse. Even my haft brother Richard was placed in jail for a crime that he helped my father do. Father did not even take any of the blame and let his only son take it all. I never met Richard in person but my mother told me that he hated her. All just because she got father to stop doing crime, married her, and having me. Ok, that is what I would never understand. Why would he be mad at me for something that was out of my control? Hell, if my parents did not get together then I would not be here. Anyway, Lance seemed to just pay attention because he was wandering why we just talked about pride.

"What about Pride? Fred are you make fun of her again?" Lance hissed at Fred and all was quiet. But that was sort lived as we all started to burst into laughter. Toad and Pietro started chanting her name as if they were calling a real cat. Rogue and I were looking at each other with grins on our faces. Both Lance and Kitty's faces were red and Scott seemed really pissed. At first no one cared that the X-Men were looking at us.

"What…is there something you want to say pretty boy?" I howled over the group at Scott, seeing that he was looking right at me. All of my friends went quiet but started to laugh again. I looked up at Fred to see concern in his eyes, but it did not last long as he started to laugh as well. That's when I remembered the first night at Bayville. _You are such a sweet, kind and gentle of a girl. _I guess that Fred never could see me being mean on a whim. And like I was thinking before…I was not like the Brotherhood or my father when he was the Kingpin. Soon Scott was grinding his teeth and was reaching for his glasses. Is Scott going crazy, he would blow the whole bus apart if the glasses came off.

"Go on four-eyes. Let's see what you got." Fred sneered as he was trying to get Scott to fire. At first everyone waited to see if Scott would really do it. Even all the Brotherhood members looked scared. But that changed because they knew that Scott would not do something that would hurt his team as well.

"Oh look the poor x-wimp can't do it." Lance sneered at them. It looks like all of us were getting a good laugh out of this now. I could not believe that Lance was really saying things like that. Kitty is an X-Men and he still acts like they don't know each other. So what would happen if I were really X-Men? Would Fred act like he did not know me and could care less if I got hurt? No, Fred would never do that…would he? I do not think that he could forget everything between us. So why was I thinking that he would just be mean to me. Start calling me weak and helpless. Just waiting to get me in trouble with the humans. Ok, now I have to stop thinking like this before Fred asks why I am shivering.

"Sounds like a challenge. Well come on what are you waiting for?" Pietro put in as he stared at the X-Men coldly. That is when that Even kid stood up.

"Oh you want to go Pietro. Just you wait…you will get yours." Even sneered at Pietro as he was ready to kill him. Did not fully know the story between these two but it was not good. It was clear that Even and Pietro have a long history that made their hate for each other to death. I know that they both went to the same school and played basketball. Well with Pietro's super speed it was wonder why Even would be mad.

"Easy my friend. They are not worth the trouble." Kurt said with a thick German accent. I was surprised to hear him speak English so well, even if I would still hear his homeland in his voice. Anyway, Even did not seem to want to back down but he did. Even sat back down and Pietro loved that he won the fight.

"That's right Daniels. Do what you're told." Pietro murmured.

After that things got quiet. No one on the bus said a word and that was ok. It gave me time to think about a few things. So I looked out the window and I looked over Pietro. He was looking right at me and smiled when I meet his eyes. A shiver went down my spine as his eyes consumed me. Unlike Jeans eyes, Pietro has the perfect shade of light blue. They were like presses gems cut to perfection. I knew that they are not as perfect as Fred's brown eyes but there is something way different about Pietro. I did not know him as well as Fred but Pietro seemed to have more secrets. In these moments I started to see how handsome he is, Pietro is not muscle built but his jaw is chiseled. It was enough to show that he has his own strength. Pietro was sitting alone now and was holding up his hand to me.

"Aprill…" Fred murmured as I got up and took Pietro's hand. My eyes did not look away from his as I started to sit down. Pietro's touch sent shivers of heat through me as his scent came. It was like standing in front of an ocean. That cool salt water breeze that goes through your hair. Before I could fully sit with Pietro, someone pulled me back.

"Keep your cold claws off of her." To my surprise it was Fred. His eyes are hard as he snarled at Pietro. It was clear that Pietro was not expecting Fred to do this. All the members of the Brotherhood looked up at this. I could not believe that Fred was doing this.

"What is your problem Blob? I think Lily has every right to sit with me if she wants." Pietro said calmly as he keeps his voice down. Fred did as well but somehow the X-Men were now watching. God, this is so embarrassing.

"Don't call her Lily. That is the name I gave her and you have no right to move her." Fred sneered.

"You have got to be joking. Fred everyone calls her that…not just you. God, if you love her so much just say so." Pietro rolled his eyes as he pointed at Fred. Both my face and Fred's turned red. Everyone else started laughing.

"It's about time someone said that." Lance howled in laugher. I could not believe that they were thinking that Fred loved me.

"Blobs probably going to force her to date him." Scott said, as everyone got quiet. Now it looked like Fred was about to lose his temper.

"Shut up…all of you. Now…I am only going to say this once…I don't love Aprill, she is just my friend." He yelled as he turned back to Pietro. "And if you want to date her Pietro…be my guest." With that Fred let me go and sat back down. Fred did not look at me as I sat with Pietro. Everyone was quiet again as Pietro put his arm around my shoulder.

After the whole thing with Fred passed, there was tension in the air. Maybe it was just me but I knew I could feel it. Almost two hours had passed scene we left Bayville and what happened with Fred. I could not believe what had happened or why it happened in the first place. All I could think about was the look on Fred's face. The way his face twisted with fury. His eyes showed the same but there was more behind that fury. I could really see it when he said he did not love me.

Hurt!

I could only wonder why that would be hidden by fury. The fact is I do not understand why it was there in the first place. Well I do know that he was not happy when I got up with out telling him. Maybe it was the fact that I was holding Pietro's hand. Or…or maybe it was just what Pietro said. _If you love her so much just say so. _But how can that make sense. Fred flat out said that he did not feel that way. Even told…no gave Pietro permission to date me. Well first I did not need Fred telling me whom I could and could not date. But the look in his eyes when he said that he did not love me. That hurt, pain, and even regret. How could he feel that way if he was telling the truth?

Or was he telling the truth?

I looked over to where Fred was sitting. He has not moved much after the incident and he was alone. Fred has his back to me and looked blankly out the window. His breathing is even but his heart was faster than normal. That condition of heart and breathing has not changed in the past hour or so. The fact is that his condition started when the incident happened. Pietro was holding my hand and looking out the window. Even with small words from Pietro, I ignored him. Fred was the only thing that I could think of. Now I could really feel the sorrow that is coming from him. Guessing that he was not happy with the scene that was made or maybe he is thinking about me and what he said. Maybe Fred was not sure about what he really thinks of me. Maybe…just maybe what Pietro said was true.

What? How could I think like that? Fred and I have been friends forever, the fact that we are practically family. Sure we have love for each other but it is family love. Fred is my best friend, my brother, but lover? No, that could not be true and yet. The look of hurt in his eyes…the way he has not said a word in an hour. It is becoming clear that whatever is bothering Fred is painful. He needs someone to talk to.

So with a heavy heart and fog in my mind I stood. Pietro started to ask what I was doing but I just looked at him. I gave him a look that told him I needed to do this. Pietro read my eyes clearly and sighed. He did not want me to go but after a moment he did. I smiled at him for the chance and walked to Fred. Glancing to my left I saw that Rogue was watching me. She would have said something but she knew her eyes said all. Rogue is glad that I am going to talk to Fred. She knows that Fred really needs me right now.

And I could not agree with her more.

With one last look at Rogue, I walked to Fred's side and sat. It was either Fred did not hear me coming or just did not care. So, gently I placed my hands on his arm. At that touch I could feel heat run through my veins. The power that is stored in him flowed into me. At this touch, it was like a jolt of energy. God, this warmth felt so reassuring and his scent was no different. The pure, clean scent filled my lungs and it was so strong that my eyes were going to water. Still over whelmed with my scenes on fire I spoke.

"Freddy, I know that you may not want to talk but…" My voice cached in my throat for a moment. "…I just want you to know that what happened…well you don't have to be…" I was stuttering when a finger was pressed to my lips. Looking up I saw that Fred was looking down on me; I could feel my cheeks burn with embarrassment. At first Fred did not say anything but stared, his expression was blank and unreadable. Well to everyone that was glancing at us but I could see hurt mixed with happiness. Fred is glad to see me and trying to help but he was still in some hurt that is still hard to understand. The arm that my hands were was on my waist. The hand that was on my lips is now cupping my cheek.

"Lily." Fred murmured deeply as he gently pulled me to him. Soon my hands were on his chest and there was little space between us. "You try to hard sometimes." This time he spoke more clearly. "I am glad that you tried believe me but trust me. I will be ok." That is when a smile started to play on his lips and I could not stop from smiling with him.

"I am glad." I say simply as I smile fully at him. That is when I did the unthinkable. So catch up in the moment I reached up and pressed my lips to Fred's cheek. Fred's and everyone else's jaw dropped at this. With that I got up and walked to Pietro. Everyone was laughing and whistling at what I just did. The fact is I did not understand why I just did that but my lips felt his warm cheek and by the look on Fred's face, he did not mind. And to some weird satisfaction, I liked what I just did.


	10. Chapter Nine: Camp Redwood

Chapter Nine

Camp Red Wood

A short hour passed after all that happened, when we finally got to the camp. No one was talking that much and if they did, it was about Fred, Pietro, and me. True, the three of us did make a scene. But I still walked off the bus with Pietro holding my hand. I don't know why I let him do it but something was happening between us. Guessing that the show on the bus made some things became true. That Fred does not love me and that Pietro might ask me out. There was something about the way Fred not loving me that stung. Like I wanted him to but that could not the case. We have been friends for so long…I guess to hear that he does not feel that way is weird. I have never heard a man not loving me before. It looks like Fred really is different from other guys. Pietro did not ask why I kissed Fred on the cheek but Fred did. Well he looked at me with eyes that showed that he had questions. He did not press it on me to talk about it. Soon, though, I know that we would have to talk.

Anyway, the camp was beautiful. Like any other summer camp that was right by a lake. Called Maple Lake, has sandy beaches and of few fishing dukes. All the buildings are made of wood or in other words a log cabin. There are twenty medium sized cabins and a large one that must be the mess hall. The path's leading to each building was made of gravel. And of course Red wood trees surrounded us.

Suddenly a question came to mind. "What is this, a mutant camp or something?" asking out loud as everyone (even the X-Men) were out of the bus.

"That is a very good question my dear." A woman's voice chimed for the left. She is middle-aged with light green eyes and long dusty blonde hair. This woman road in on a chestnut mare and stopped in front of me with a smile, a siren pride glowed about her. "My name is Carly Waters and welcome to the Redwood Camp for mutants." Carly greeted us as she got off the mare.

"This has got to be a joke." Pietro scuffed as he looked at cow-girl Carly before him, wearing faded blue jeans and a paled, long sleeved shirt. She did not seem mad at Pietro for the comment but she raised an eyebrow.

"Oh, I can a sure you Mr. Maximoff that this is no joke." She scuffed back with humor over her features.

"How did you know that was my last name?" Pietro demanded as he stared Carly down and this time with wonder. There is something oddly familiar about his last name and I don't think I should know his family but, Maximoff. Why is it that I should know that name and hate it somehow?

"I know many things about you, the fact that your leaders told me about each one of you." Carly says calmly as she steps closer to us. I am still not sure what her powers are but she showed little fear, as if she really knew us and knows how to defeat us.

"Ya, and I am the king of Spain." Freddy sneered from behind me. It looks like all of us; brotherhood and X-Men alike were thinking this is BS. I know that I could not help but laugh at what Fred said. Still giggling I turned and looked at Fred. He is smiling at me and has a question in his eye. Fred still wants to know more about what happened on the bus. But Carly took another step closer and still showed little fear. By now I am starting to think that she telling the truth, however her powers are still something that I want to know. I looked up at Fred again to see that the laugher was gone. He just does not like the woman and that does not surprise me. Considering that I did not like her any more than him.

"On the contrary Mr. Dukes I know much about you, just as much as the others." Carly states as Fred rolls his eyes. He does not seem to care what Carly is saying. So she smiled and keeps talking. "Like how you have been orphaned ever scene you were two. How at five years of age you became acquainted to Ms. Fisk…" she paused to look at me for a moment. There is something in her eyes that made me shiver. What is Carly trying to get at? "How you two have lived in Sanctuary, Texas. About the monster trucks and John. Now you are a member of the Brotherhood. Anything else you want me to say Mr. Fred J. Dukes." She says this as if she knows us all our lives. Fred stared blankly at her and shacks his head.

That is when she turned her addition to me. "Then there is you Ms. Fisk. You have come from a very rich and powerful family. How you ran away from home at five years old and found Mr. Dukes. All you wanted was a friend to care for you. But now that you are a brotherhood member…you are unsure that he is still…"

"What gives you the right to say this about me?" I snarl, as Carly was a foot away from me.

"The fact is I have some right. But all I am trying to do is make a point. I know about all of you and why you have been sent here." Simply states Carly as if nothing could touch her. Maybe nothing could but that is still not justified.

"Be that as it may, you have no right to talk to Lily like that." Fred scuffed as he placed his arm around my waist. I let go of Pietro so Fred could pull me to him. Pietro does not want this but he did not protest. In no time my back was pressed to his body. Fred looked down at me for a moment. "Don't let her get to you Lily. She has no idea what she is talking about."

I looked into his eyes. "How could that not be true? What she said about our history is correct. Fred what are you trying to tell me."

Carly raised her eyebrow again. "Yes, Fred what makes you think I would be lying and why can I not say the truth?"

"Because she does not dissever it." Fred replied flatly and does not answer the first part of the question. What is going on here? Why is Fred saying that what happened between us never happened? But if that is not what is happening…then what is he trying to say.

"Is that so then I suppose that she dissevers what you truly think of her." Carly's question did not make sense but Fred protested and was cut off. "I think you know what I truly mean. But if I say it out loud…then she may not feel the same way about you. For you are unsure of it yourself. In fact, you are scared of losing her over it." She finished as she watched Fred's expression change. I looked up to see Fred's eyes widen with fear. What the hell, how can Fred get scared over this. Even if this was about me…what make him think he could lose me. Fred is not looking at me and looks into nothing. But when he does look at me…it looks like he is about to cry.

"What the hell did you say?" I demanded Carly with a growl. But she did not say a word and only watched. Fred's whole body is going rigged and tense. The hand on my hip tightens till it started to hurt. All of this was happening to fast and I do not know what to do. So I look up at Fred again and try to talk to him. "Freddy are you o…" I ask until I was cut short by a crack and pain. Gasping as I saw that the side of my hip is broken.

"Aprill!" Pietro spoke as I fell to my knees. "Blob what the hell is wrong with you." He sneered as Pietro fell to his knees with me. I am on my side as I looked at the broken bone. Pietro put his arms around my shoulders and held me close. He does not try to touch my hip but just looks at me. "Oh Aprill, how bad is the break?"

Fred's eyes rounded even more as he saw what he did. "What…oh god, Lily…" he murmured as he came to my level. He shoved Pietro out of the way so that he could get to me. Pietro landed hard and gave Fred a cold stair. I just look at him for a moment and told him not to move. "Oh Lily I am so, so sorry. I just was not…oh Lily I…" Fred is frantic as he gently pulled me of the ground. I placed a finger on his lips to stop him. He froze in the middle of getting me in his arms to look at me. His eyes sparked with concern and some fear crossed his features.

"Go on…I don't mind being in your arms." I say calmly as I looked deeply at him. Fred is truly sorry and is scared that I did not want his help. If I told him to go, he would and would not like it. He would feel that he failed me and blame himself. "It's ok, really. If Carly did not say whatever she said…you would not have done it." I said as I patted his arm that was around my shoulders. Fred is courses and slow as he continued. He is waiting for me to stop him but I did not say a word.

"God Blob…what is up with him?" Scott murmured to Jean. My lips pulled back in a snarl and faced Scott. With narrowed eyes I snapped my jaw at him.

"What is up with you freak." I hiss that made Scott jump. It looks like Scott does not know about my super hearing. "It was an ascendant you ass hole and I don't want to hear another word from you." I snapped with my arms around Fred's neck. He only looked at the left side of my hip and was not listening. After Scott zipped is mouth shut, I turned to Carly. She is just standing there with a small grin.

My words are cold and sharp, as I demand answers from her. "Now I am going to ask again…what the hell did you say?"

She scuffed. "You heard what I said. You're not asking the right question."

"Fine, what was the meaning of what you said?" I rephrased with a growl. This Carly is really pissing me off now. Even if she sounds very intelligent and powerful, I don't think she understands what she is getting into.

"Like I said Aprill…if I say it out loud you may hate him." Carly replied with a smile. I snarl at the answer. She is really asking for it now. "But I suppose you have a right to know that he…"

"Don't you dare say a word." A hiss came from Fred. He is staring daggers into her but she does not even flinch. But however the tone in his voice made me flinch. I had never heard such a cold, evil tone coming from him.

Carly tilted her head to the side. "Why, don't you…" Finally Fred snapped. Still holding me, he threw a punch at Carly. She does not move but raised a single hand. Fred's fist hit that hand and Carly holds it. She stands unfazed, smiling, and holds Fred in that one place. For once Fred is putting all his strength into something and cannot move, with everyone around us is in shock. Carly's smile grows and looks at me.

"So much warmth and power…just like described. Now I see why you love being in his arms." Carly is now giving an almost cold smirk. "I wonder if you feel safe right now?" I just snarl and don't answer. Yes, I could feel the warmth of his body, that raw power that he is using to move Carly and of course I feel safe knowing that Fred is with me.

"What the hell…how can you just stand there?" Fred hissed through clenched teeth.

Carly simply smiled with a titled head. "Time to end this." She chuckled as she pushed Fred backward. Just a simple flick of the wrist and Fred slammed into the bus. Fred lost his grip on me and I fell to the ground. Everyone ducked as Fred pushed the bus back. I groan as I chocked on dust. Behind me, Fred is passed out and groaned in deft. Everyone looks from Fred to Carly in amazement.

"You bitch." I snarl as I get to me feet. Before Carly could fully look at me, I ran at her. She cached my first punch and then the other. In a blur, I slammed my knee into her jaw. Surprised, she fell back and landed hard on the ground. "No one does that Fred…do I make myself clear." I howled, as I became air born.

Carly is getting to her feet and I was looking down at her. "Oh you made a very clear point however…" she paused to kick off the ground. Before I could doge, Carly kicked me square in chest, in mid-air, and flow back. I shock it off and came back at her. Gripping her neck in my hand, I through her to the ground. Then out of nowhere…she jumped from the dust and upper cuter me in the jaw. I hissed and smashed into bus. Gasping, I fell right on Fred's chest. He is just starting to wake up when he saw what happened. "You should know more about your target before you attack." Carly finished with her hands on her hips. She is standing in the middle of the hole that we made. Carly is proud of what she just done but I just growled at her.

Fred blinked at me. "Lily…Lily what did Carly do to you?" he panted weekly and started to look me over. But I guess that he was to week because he passed out. I looked at him in shock him but he did not move.

A dull pain shot from my left arm and grit my teeth. "Damn it, now my arm is broken. You are lucky that my arm and hip are broken. What kind of mutant are you anyway?" I snarl my demand.

"Well I guess you could say that I am a mutant Juggernaut." Carly says calmly as the X-Men gasp.

"Juggernaut? As in _the_ Juggernaut." Jean questioned in shock.

Carly shacked her head. "I have similar powers to Cain but I was born with them. Cain has all his powers because of some gem." Rolling her eyes as she turned her gazed to me. "Your mother and father battled Cain a few times. Knowing them they have told you how dangerous he could be."

I nodded. "So this was all a plan to show your powers off."

Carly grinned. "You are cleaver. Yes, I had to find a way to make a point and explain my powers. So you and Fred have showed that beautifully."

"Wait you make it sound like you know him." Scott spoke with rage.

"Yes, I do know Cain. In fact, this is where the two of us live, Mr. Summers." Speaking evenly and with tender eyes. I did not know that the Juggernaut had a girl friend. The fact that he is so dangerous; I could only wonder why she loved him.

"So the Juggernaut is lose and is staying here?" I asked with wonder. If the X-Men saw the Juggernaut around here, they would attack. I am starting to think that is maybe why they are here and with the leader of the X-Men so close to Juggernaut (not knowing why that is). Well I hope that we don't have to deal with the powerful Juggernaut. If that happens, then we are all done for. Carly's smile faded and eyes became grave.

"No he is not here at the moment…" Carly turned her gazed away from Scott and back to me. "Cain is "lose" yes but should be returning soon…" she paused as she climbed back onto the mare; not knowing where it was two minutes ago. Oh great the Juggernaut is coming back. That is so not a good thing. "You see Cain has to come back or else he will became so weak…he would die. But don't worry, he knows that you are coming and does not care. By the time he returns he will be too weak to pay any mind to you."

"Then he should not come at all." Scott scuffed.

"Say what you like but Cain will return in three days and you stay here for two weeks. As long as you don't bother him, Cain will leave you alone." Carly swapped her gaze around us, almost hissing her words. "Even if I will be in the same state…I can control him. Anyway, everyone go to their cabins and dinner is at five." Carly finished and road the horse the way she came. Everyone started to move forward as I pulled Fred in the air with me. He is now unconscious as we move to the camp entrance. My first camp expense ever and I already hate it.


	11. Chapter 10: A Long First Night

Auther's notes: Sorry i skipped this chapter and went to chapter 11 for some reason. So please read this one and then chapter 11 should be more clear.

Chapter Ten

A Long First Night

Well, at least the cabins are descent. I shared cabin five with Fred and was glad for that. Maybe the house should be more divided by sex. I mean it's not like we are going to do anything. Wow, that would be a very weird thing to do. Even though I am not complaining; Fred is still knocked out and has been that way for three hours. Cabin five has been made so that it can handle Fred; well that is what I can see. I could feel that the logs are reinforced with steel. There are two beds in the center of the main room. One is just my size and has a night stand with a lamp. The head board is made of oak and flowers are carved into this wood.

The other bed is much bigger, almost king size. Oak is also framing this bed but just like the house, steel is in the wood. Lush green carpet covered the floor. I laid Fred on his bed gently. I stayed by him for these hours and waited. Once in a while I would get up and walk around. This cabin even has its own bathroom; polished marble floor, granite sink, and a large shower. I am starting to wonder how long Carly has expected us. This house and everything in it was made to withstand Fred; his size, weight, and even his strength. Carly looks like she has done her homework on him. This place is perfect for him and to keep him calm. That is probably why I am here. Carly wants us to be happy or something and Fred must have been easy to please.

It's not like I cared where I slept. I know that I would not want to be in a cabin with X-Men. Knowing Fred he would agree and Carly knew that. Still, hours passed and I did not leave the cabin. Dinner came and went as I waited. Even Pietro came to get me but I told him I am not hungry. Pietro knew me better but he did not protest and left. This whole thing with camp was stressing my out. All I want is for Fred to wake up. There are so many questions that I have for him. I want to learn more about the bus ride coming to camp Redwood. Why and how Carly got Fred so upset. All of this just did not make scene. It's clear that Fred is hiding something from me but why. What is it that he is trying so hard to hide?

The bus was almost a normal thing for Fred. He never trusted other guys around me. The way they act and try to touch me—like Duncan. I have not seen that human in weeks but Fred still hates him. How Duncan somehow cracked my head and did not let Fred by me. Anyway, Fred and Pietro have been at each other's throats also. I just don't get why has to hate a friend of mine. Thinking back I can say that Pietro has done nothing really wrong for Fred to be upset. Other then what happened on the bus, which was nothing really more than me sitting with Pietro. Well, that also did not make much scene ether. There is defiantly something that Fred is not telling. So what is it that they are really fighting over…I don't really know but that it is over me.

_I don't love Aprill…you want to date her…be my guest. _Fred sounded so cold—so hurt. I know that I have thought this through but still. All of what happened on the bus made what Carly said—just made me rethink. _I suppose that she dissevers what you truly think of her—if I say it out loud…she may not feel the same way. _Carly seemed to know all about this secret. That is how she got him so fast but what I don't get is why I wouldn't _feel_ the same way. Fred and I have been friends for as long as I can remember…so his option, at times, does matter to me. So what is it about this time that makes it different from the others? _You are scared of losing her over it._ All of what she said and the look on her face—it made my skin crawl. Whatever was scaring Fred…made him lash out. It was as if Carly was going to take me away. That Fred would never see me again and could not find me. Even this thought made claws of fear go down my spine.

I shook my head. "No that will never happen." Whispering my promise to Fred as he slept on his bed. The sun is going down outside with oranges and gold's filling the room. They shined on his peaceful face and I hopped that he was ok. I sat cross-legged, in mid-air and looked down at Fred. Feeling warm breath on my hand as it went over his mouth. The same hand lay on his chest to feel his heart. Fred sounds at peace and in a deep sleep. Of course Fred has no broken bones and is not bleeding anywhere.

I sighed. "Have a good sleep Freddy." I murmured calmly. "I will be right here when you wake up."

It was not unit one in the morning when I fell asleep. I did not want to but as I rested on my bed to watch Fred, I fell asleep. Soon I was in a beep and I started to dream of home. Of John, Fred, and me in Texas when I was younger; the way things used to be and never thought that things could change:

"Happy thirteenth birthday Freddy." I singed and hugged him. Fred just rolled his eyes and laughed. He has never like birthdays but I did not care. Still every year I would get him presents and would bake him a cake. Funny, Fred would all ways love that part even though he would start to complain that he did not want a party.

"Wow, you two are finally thirteen!" John smiled. "Seemed only yesterday that you two just met." He winked at me and patted Fred on the shoulder.

Fred sighed. "And I hope that you never go away Lily."

I raised an eyebrow. "What makes you say that I am going anywhere." I remember all the times that Fred had ever said that. It was always something that was said at every party or even at Christmas.

He chuckled and pulled me closer. "It was more of a birthday wish then a question."

"You wish for that every year." I rolled my eyes playfully with a smile.

He sighed again. "Because you as a friend…is the only thing I have ever wanted."

Fred's thick brown hair covered his eyes. That is what was said every year but his face still turned red. His happiness shined in his brown eyes and smiled. John laughed as he set the presents on the table. It's a peaceful January fifteenth in John's office. Birthdays and Christmas were happy times of the year. Even on Fred's birthday, he still made it as if it was all about me.

I reached up to move the hair in his eyes. "I know Fred and the same goes for you to me. Even if you can be a pain in the ass."

John beamed at me. "Now Aprill what did I say about langue?"

Fred and I laughed at John's playful tone. "That it is the work of "evil humans"." We said together and even air quoted the last part.

John smiled. "That's right, now come over here Fred and open your gifts before I do."

It felt so good to remember my past. I wished that life did not have to change for me. Well, it's not like life in Bayville is that bad. But with Freddy there is something going on. _Aprill?_ There is something that Fred is not telling me; something that he's been hiding for some time.

"Aprill…Lily wake up." A deep voice called to me. I want to open my eyes to see who it was but…I just could not find the strength. All I want is to sleep and think things through. Then a hand came to my shoulder. That is when my eyes flow open and jumped in surprise. I would have hit the ceiling if the hand did not hold me there.

"Oh, hey Aprill its ok it's just me." I turned on to my other side to face Fred. He is sitting up (kind of) and is looking at me. "It's ok Aprill. It is 2:30 in the morning an…" Fred tried to finish but a pain shot through him. His teeth clenched and he fell back down.

I got out of bed and stood by him. "Shush, just stay down and rest." I moved my hand over his forehead. "Oh, Freddy you have a slit fever." So I moved to the table by his bed to get the bowl of water. This water is nice and cold with a cloth dipping into it. I sat in the air again and set the bowl on my lap so I could get the cloth wet. Fred groaned as the cool cloth went on his face. He opened his eyes again and looked at me. One of his hands cupped the left side of my hip and the other grabbed my right arm. His eyes are narrow as he looked at my arm and felt my hip.

I sighed. "Freddy, everything is fine. I am fine."

Fred did not loosen his grip. "How badly did Carly hurt you Lily?" his voice is still warm and tender but rimmed with cold hatred.

I shook my head. "It does not matter now. I'm healed and now I have to help you…"

"Bullshit!" Fred snapped and cut me off. "Someone hurting you does matter. So whatever she did to you I want to know."

I pulled my arm away from his hand. "If that is true then why are you hiding something from me?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." Fred said with confusion.

"Bullshit!" I snarl. "Why did you get mad at Carly so fast? Why couldn't she say something about how you think of me?" I pause a moment so I could get my angry under control. "Then what about what happened on the bus. Could you care to explain that?"

Fred did not look at my gaze. "What happened with Carly was nothing more than she hurt you. Then…"

"Carly did not "hurt me" till you were slammed into the bus and what happened to my hip was your doing." I almost yell in frustration, a sudden hurt paced Fred's eyes at what he did to me. "Stop lying to me Fred. I know there is something more going on." I said. "So would you please just tell me?"

Fred looked into my eyes then. "I am not lying to you. It's just…" he trailed off for a moment. I was going to protest but he keeps talking. "It's just I don't know how to tell you these things."

I place a hand on his cheek. "It's ok Fred, you can tell me. I won't get mad I promise."

We looked at each other for a long time. There is something deep inside Fred that wants out. He turned pink and was thinking. These long few minutes are killing me. I just want him to say what is on his mind. He looks like he wants to say something really badly but his hand left my hip.

He shook his head. "I am sorry Lily but I can't."

My eyes narrowed and looked at his face. There is nothing I can read—expressionless and no emotion. I sighed and said "Fine." It was cold and with no meaning at all. With that I put the bowl on the table and stood up. Not saying a word or looking at him—I turn on my heel and walked out the front door.

Fred did not yell or even try to protest. I just keep walking till I was at Maple Lake. Standing on one of the docks and looking up at the full moon…I cried. Tried and sad I sat down and let my tease fall into the lake. I could not believe that Fred did not trust me. He looked like he wanted to say it really badly. I even told him that I would not get mad. So why was it so hard for him to tell me?

"Aprill what are you doing out here?" I looked up to see Pietro. His light blue eyes are dark with concern. The moon light made his white hair glow. I slowly stood up and saw that he was only in pajama pants. Pietro's chest is bare and pale like his face. "Aprill, what's wrong? What are you crying for?"

I sniffed. "It's nothing."

Pietro smiled. "Come now, you can't lie to me." he paused and a sudden angry thought passed his eyes. "Does this have something to do with Fred?"

I cleared the note out of my throat. "Maybe, but really Pietro it's nothing."

With that Pietro put a hand on my shoulder. I did not look at his concerned and angry rimmed expression.

"Aprill, look at me." he ordered calmly. I did not look up as his other hand griped the opposite shoulder. "Lily, if Fred did something to you…then it's something not nothing."

That is when I looked at him. "He did not hurt me physically…just emotionally."

He cupped my chin in his hand. "Tell me what happened Lily. You can trust me, I promise." He was calm and kind as he looked into my eyes. Pietro wants to understand so he can help me. I can see that he cares about me and how much he cares is now something I burn to know. So I sighed and told him the whole story.

"…And that is why I am out here. Because Fred just does not trust me." I finished with a sob. Pietro just stood in front of me and listened. Even when I was finished, he took me securely. He nodded every so often to show that he was listening, understanding. So when I was done, he stayed silent and thought through all of what I said.

As he spoke next, my hands where on his chest and Pietro put his hands on my hips to hold me close. "I am sorry that you two had a fight of some kind. But Aprill…" he paused briefly as our foreheads were touching. "I would never do something like this to you. I would not even think of hurting you."

I sigh. "I believe you, Pietro." For the first time in a long time, I felt safe. Fred has been changing so much that feeling safe with him—was becoming something rare. My heart is pounding as I felt Silvers warm breath. Pietro's scent is overpowering and lights my blood ablaze. My hands went up and around his neck. Then as his arms went around me…our lips met. His lips are so sweet and gentle as I opened my mouth to him. It did not take long till he was kissing me right back. A small moan come from his throat and gripped me tight. Pietro's mouth tastes like mint-toothpaste and his body is so warm. One hand was cupped on the back of my neck, with his fingers in my hair, the kiss got hotter.

But not for long; Pietro broke away to breath and looked every happy. His breaths are coming in heavy pants and eyes sparked with love. So, this is what real love feels like. My heart raced, breathing deeply, and wanting Pietro to kiss me again.

Pietro finally catches his breath. "I am sorry I did not mean to…" he paused and looked into my glowing eyes. "Wait you like what I just did to you?"

I smiled. "Is that a bad thing?"

Pietro laughed and kissed my forehead. "Of cause not, it's a very good thing that you like it when I kiss you."

I blushed. "Does that mean that you can kiss me again?"

Pietro gave me a sexy smile. "Anything for the woman I love." He sighed with delight and bent to give me another kiss. The moons light glowed around us as I understood what this meant. I love Pietro. So as the minuets burned into the night I kissed my first boyfriend.


	12. Chapter 11: First Day at Camp

Chapter Eleven

First Day at Camp

I wake up the next morning with a new joy. After the make-out session with Pietro, we returned to his cabin. No, we did not sleep in the same bed and no sex either. Turned out that Pietro's room-mate is Even Daniels and Even let me have his bed. Even just went outside to sleep on the bench swing. Anyway, I did not want to go back to cabin five and who was waiting in side. I had no intention to confront Fred again. My best friend was not being honest with me and did not have trust in me. As fair as I am concerned, Fred is not being a true friend anymore. On a happier note, I am more than happy to be with Pietro. He is a sweet, smart, kind, loving, and handsome of a guy. Pietro understands me and is honest with me. So this morning I was the first to get up, ready for the first day of camp. There was other outside when I stepped out of the cabin. Brotherhood members were gathering by the lake shore. Lance and Toad were the only ones that were out there. So as soon as I could be seen by Lance, he called to me.

"There you are Aprill." He yelled as he beckoned to me. I jogged over to them and as soon as I was in ear shot, he whispered. "Where have you been Tigerlily? Rogue looked for you last night and could not find you."

I was about to answer when Rogue came up from behind and hugged me. "Oh, Aprill there you are. Where have you been? You had me worried sick."

"She was with me last night." A voice said from behind us. I sighed with relief to see Pietro saving me. I looked over my shoulder to see him fully dressed and walking over to us. "She could not sleep last night and needed someone to talk to so…here we are." I gave him a sweet, grateful smile as he came to my side. Rogue let me go and watched as his arm went around my shoulders. Then in a blur, Pietro gave me a quick kiss on the mouth and said. "Good morning, Lily. Hope you slept well."

I continued to smile. "Good morning and I did sleep well. Thank you, Pietro."

Lance cleared his throat. "Ok so now we are waiting for Blob."

"Ya, where the hell is that guy," Toad questioned and then looked at me. "Isn't he always with you?"

"You would think that wouldn't you." A voice came from my left. I turned to see Fred about to pass out. He is white as sheet and eyes are blood shot. Fred's leaning his weight into an oak tree that was beside him. With his cloths receded, hair a mess and looks as if he has the flow, my heart sank. I knew that we had a very nasty fight last night and fighting with me was something that Fred never liked doing. This was the worst fight we have ever had and it was no wonder that Fred looked so sick. To him, the idea of me hating him…was killing him inside. My heart beep with worry and grief, I ran to him.

"Oh my god, Fred," I gasp. "What the hell are you doing out of bed? You should be resting."

His breaths are in heavy pants as I stood in front of him. "You did not come back to your bed last night. I was worried sick about you. What happened?"

I rolled my eyes. "Sure you were worried about me. How do I know you're telling me the truth?"

Fred's eyes got wide with sock. "Oh Aprill please don't be…"

"I don't see why I should understand why you're lying to me." I snarl and cut him off.

That is when his eyes narrowed and flamed with angry. "Oh right and you are the innocent one right?"

"Fred what…"

He cut me off. "Don't "oh, Fred what are you talking about" bit. Why don't you tell me what you were doing last night?"

Pietro answered before I could. "That is none of you…"

"Bullshit!" Fred snarled as his voice became low and dangerous. "I am not talking to you speedy." He paused and turned his flamed eyes to me. "Go on Lily tell the…"

"No!" I yell as I balled up my hands and was right in Fred's face. "Don't you ever use that tone of voice with me. Who the hell do think you are; my father or something? You have no right to tell me who I can talk to."

"But he…"

"Hell no, it's me who is talking now Blob boy. Now you listen to me, if I date Pietro then that is my business. In fact, if you are really my friend you should not give a damn."

"That's not why I…"

"Then tell me your fears and why you don't want me to date him. Oh wait, you can't tell me can you." I take a breath and raise an eyebrow. Sure enough, all of his smug attitude faded and looked defeated. Fred's whole body shagged and looked sicker then very.

"Please Aprill, you don't need to say things like that. You can trust me, I promise." His voice is thick with sadness. Fred's eyes became even graver as I shook my head.

"No, I have to say things like that because they are true and I really can't trust you." I said flatly as I turned and walked away.

"Aprill baby, it's going to be ok just take a deep breath." Pietro soothed as he held me close. I had walked half way around the lake until Pietro stopped me. I am so sad and angry that I could not help but cry. Pietro leaded into a willow and let me lean all my weight into him. My heart is hurting in ways I never thought possible. I feel numb and cold after yelling and fighting with Fred for two days.

I sniffed. "I don't get it Pietro. How could he lie to me and hate that I am happy?"

He kissed me on my forehead. "I don't know, love. Maybe he just does not understand what we share."

I roll my eyes. "Pietro, he has not even asked me about us being together."

He shook his head. "There is that but what I mean is, is that he does not understand love."

That is when I needed to be alone. "Um, Pietro can you leave me alone for a little bit?" I paused and continued before he could protest. "I just need time to think. I will come to you when I am ready, I promise."

There was a long pause as Pietro looked over my expression. I am not sure how to explain a lot of things to him but I wish I could. Fred is turning into a monster again and I need to think about how I will handle him. Then Pietro sighed and gave me a sweet kiss. As he started to leave, he turned to face me and said. "If you need me, you know where to find me. Oh, and I love you, Lily."

I could not help but smile. "I love you to Pietro and thank you for everything."

With that he gave me a sweet smile, winked and walked away. I did not really want him to go but I need some alone time. Just getting my first boyfriend was worrying enough. Don't get me wrong, I love Pietro but I have never had a boyfriend before. So I don't really know what to do with him. I sat on the ground as my other worries griped my heart. Not only do I have love to deal with, I now have Fred to deal with. God, what is there to do? I don't feel any real trust with him anymore but I don't want to live without my best friend. He has always been there and even if he could be a pain in the ass, Fred's still my family and my best friend. I don't think anyone else can understand me like he does. Now there is something about Fred that he's hiding from the world.

Why?

Why does he not trust me? How can he stand to yell at me like this and not say sorry? What is it about Pietro and even Carly that he does not like? I guess what made my stomach flip more is that he did ask me is that he did not ask if I am happy. Fred has always wanted me to be happy and follow my heart. Something with my parents, so why didn't he ask me, does he hate Pietro so much that me being happy did not matter? No, that couldn't be true. If Fred did not care about my happiness…then there is something gravely wrong. Fred not even caring a little bit made me feel sick. That is so unlike him not to care. _I don't love Aprill._ Why do I get the feeling that Fred said that about me in general? Like, he was being told that he loved me and had to defend himself but that over all he did not care. Oh my god, why on earth am I thinking like this. Fred would never do that and the fact is…I think he would not want to live if he did not care. I mean, that is what a friend is all about, well to Fred that is.

Suddenly, I had the need to walk around again. So I got up and started to walk towards the lake shore. As soon as I stood on the sandy shore; I turned to my right and walked. Taking off my sandals so that I could feel my feet sink in the warm sand. The sun is in the middle of the sky as the wind blow from the east. It's a gentle breeze that ruffled the trees and went through my hair. With this breeze it became easy to smell the crisp water and the fish that live there. Beautiful ruby robins sang there summer songs in nearby trees. Small brown squirrels ran up trees as they cased one another. I stopped and watched as they jumped from branch to branch in a race to tag the other. It was hard not to smile and wished I could join them. To have a sudden freedom of being a different species and just for some time so I could forget the drama of being a human. Well, I may be a human but man-kind has different name for me, a mutant.

I guess people like me in the both X-Men and Brotherhood are not really human. Even if that sounds stupid and unfair but I am not really a human. Meaning that sure I look and act like a human but I am not "normal".

"Normal," I snorted in a dull humor. "What does it truly mean to be normal anyway?"

When it comes to people like me or Pietro and even Fred…we are simple freaks. We are something that "normal" humans don't understand. Of course with everything that humans don't understand—they try to control or destroy them. Well at least that is what my parents said and Lance with the Brotherhood. But for the moment humans don't know that people like me are real. That I am just a myth or a fairy tale that parents tell their kids before bed. It feels strange that I am not really supposed to add gist to the human world. Well, at least there are others like me and I can have normal conversions with.

Out of nowhere I heard a twig snap. I freeze in place and breathe in the watered air. With that sniff I did not even need to turn around to see who was standing there. Even now his sweet, formally scent danced around me. As it danced, the scent laced on my body and wanted me to face its master.

I sighed in a kind of surrender. "What is it that you want now tucker?"

With my question I slowly turned to pear into Fred's pale face. It has not been much time scene I last saw him but he looked sicker. His eyes are rimmed red and still heavy with blood-shot. This shows that he has not gotten much sleep and has been crying. Even the brown of his eyes looked tired and bark with concern. Shadows are starting to grip under his sad eyes. With hair still a mess and a deep set frown on his face—Fred looks deeply troubled. It was a surprise to me that after seeing him leading on a tree that he could stand. Looking at him now, in some ways, I regretted what I said to him. _I can't believe that I call him Blob boy!_ Fred hated it when people talked about his weight and I sure as hell never talked about it. The only way that I did was in a friendly concern, seeing that it could hurt his health. Now, however, Fred looked at me with the deepest sadness and the coldest fear. In the past he never did fear my power, mind or body, but times like this made him remember that I was not be messed with.

"Nothing in particular," He speaks hoarsely and filled with a grief as his eyes showed fear. I was impressed, at the time sad, to see how polite Fred sounded. Sure, he was polite to me in the past but not like this. The kind of politeness that he showed was one that would be given to a queen. Fred is showing that he is respecting my power and did not wish to anger me. "I just wanted to see that you were all right."

With that he started to turn away and my heart started to shatter. He was not even going to try and talk to me, he must be that scared of me. Even with a shattering heart I found my voice to stop him. "Hey, you don't have to leave. You could stay if you want."

The frown did not dissolve as wave of joy passed his sad face. "Oh, that is kind of you…thank you." Slowly he turned back to me but kept his distance. It was not that much, about two feet or so but it still felt like miles. For long moments we just stood there, looking at each other and not saying a word.

Soon however I could not stand it anymore, just standing in this silence burned my throat. Fred sounds like the walking dead and looks so sick, knowing that he should have more sleep. In a flash I am right in front of Fred, who is shocked at my sudden move and gave him a hug. My arms rapped firmly around his neck as I buried my face under his chin. With tears gliding down my face; I waited to see what Fred would do. At first he just stands there with feet firm in the ground, his arms not holding me and clearly overwhelmed with what I did. Cold fear's hand grips my heart and becomes hard to breath. _No I can't be too late. He can't hate me. _I want to scream my fear and sudden feeling of being alone. _This is all my fault_, I wanted to whimper. All I can think of now is…

"Lily, calm down its ok." He gently cooed and rapped his strong arms around me. "There is no need for you to be scared." I just noticed that I am crying hard and shacking to the bone.

I take a deep breath. "But you have every reason to…"

Fred shook his head. "No Aprill, I was the one who was out of line. You had every reason in the world to yell at me." he paused so he could put his hand on my chin. Fred brought my face up so I could see his own sadden one, that now had a small glow of hope. "I am sorry for all the things that I have done. All I want now is for your forgiveness."

I blinked hard to keep my eyes clear. "Why can't you tell me what you really think of me?"

He let out a long sigh. "It's not that I don't want to…I want to tell you but I just don't know how to tell you right now."

"Do you promise to tell me when you are ready?" I smiled and raised an eyebrow. Now I think I understand; Fred wants to tell me something but at the same time it's hard for him to say. Yes, I know that this should have been the idea from the beginning and it was but now Fred just confirmed it.

That is when he finally smiled. "I promise Lily and I also promise that you can trust me." he voice is growing stronger and color is returning to his face. I smiled with him, just seeing him happy was the greatest feeling and that I could really trust him. The only way that I knew he was telling the truth was I could hear it in his voice. Sometimes, I love the fact that I can tell if people are lying or not. "Also, even if I don't get along with Pietro, I am glad to see that you are happy with him."

I could not help but jump with joy. Fear and worry is no longer on my heart. Fred loosened his grip on me as I jump around. My chest is filling with laugher and I feel as if I want to sing. As I did this for a good few moments, Fred watched me and laughed, shaking his head when I made a cart-wheel. But all the while, there was a big smile on his face and eyes glowing with so much happiness.

Stopping for a moment I turned back to Fred and ran back into his arms. As I spoke, Fred had a firm grip on me as he spun me in a circle. "Oh Fred, I am so glad that you are giving Pietro a chance." I pause to look into his glowing face as he put me down to stand on my own. "I'm sorry that I over reacted like that. Just because you are not telling me something does not mean that I can't trust you." Then I frowned. "I'm also sorry for calling you…well you know…"

Fred's put a finger over my lips, still a smile on his face. "Hey, it's ok Lily, don't worry about that part. It is my code name after all." I rolled my eyes and was going to protest on how that did not matter but he continue. "So what is it like to have your first boyfriend?"

I smiled, going past the fact that the name was not a good fit for him. "Pietro is very sweet guy and understands me for me. Isn't that great?"

At first Fred did not answer or even look at me. As I looked at his face I saw some kind of hurt. What is going on, doesn't Fred love the fact that Pietro treats me well. With my head to the side, I asked. "Fred, what is wrong? You're not…jealous or something are you?"

Fred looked at me then with a chuckle. "Jealous me, why would you think that," I raised my eyebrows at him, which made him say something else. "I'm not jealous Aprill. It's just that I won't be the only one to make you happy."

I could not help but roll my eyes. "Oh please. You are so jealous." I teased.

Fred fallowed with the teasing. "You got me. I am so jealous of him because he got you first."

"Really, you wanted to be the first to kiss me?" I could not hold back my laugher.

His face showed playful disgust. "Ewww, you all ready kissed the guy?"

I hold up my chin with pride. "Yes, I did kiss him. Why, what are you going to do about it?"

Fred pulled away from me and started walking to the camp. "I think I will have a talk with lover boy." He called over his shoulder.

"The hell you will." I yelled after him and ran to him. Just as we did this the bell for lunch rang and everyone went inside to eat.


	13. Chapter 12:Talking plans and Coward Talk

Chapter Twelve   
Talking plans and Coward Talks

"Shut up, you started that and you lost." I grinned, giving Fred a playful shove. After me and Fred made up, I was filled with a new reassured bliss. It feels wonderful to have my best friend back, let alone having a new understanding. But even in all this happiness, there was still some misunderstanding, secrets. Even now as I walked, shoulder-to-shoulder with Fred, I could still feel a type of tension, a tension that I never unconquered before, especially in Tucker.

Fred rolled his eyes. "Well, Summers was asking for it and I would have won if it wasn't for _Jean_." The last word was cut like a shard of glass, all jagged and sharp with many emotions but at the point of the shard was a hatful disgust. Fred has never cared about Jean after what happened the first day in Bayville. I have tried to find out why he hated her so much. Sometimes I just think that they just only knew each other for one day, but even then Fred did not handle the situation properly.

Just the fact that Jean did not know Fred made things clear enough that they were not meant to be. Then of course there is the fact that when Jean said no, Fred lost himself. Sure, I know that he has never had a girlfriend before and has his big temper. Now looking back, Fred has never really shown any real affection to any girl. That even includes me, and I am his best friend that gets guys to bow at my feet.

I looked up at Fred, who is looking straight ahead. "Freddy," I asked. "Why do you _really_ hate Jean so much?" I'm hoping that I would get a better answer then, _'what I could have done was about to hurt you or lose you to the X-Men.'_ Fred did not look at me but as I looked at him, a wave of painful thought passed his expression. My heart squeezed, seeing that I asked something hard for him to say and was going to take it back but…

"I have never been rejected before." He said slowly and glanced down at me. "You above all should know that, Lily." It was not a hateful tone, but more of a sad-hurt tone that took me a step back. My eyes became wide and I was lost for words. Of course I knew he never had been rejected before, especially was never rejected by a pretty girl. I know all of this but to hear Fred say it, just gave the idea a sadder meaning.

I held his hand and squeezed, making us stop walking for a moment. "Hey, there are other girls out there." I reassured. "And Jean is not good enough for you anyway."

Fred gave a small grin, with eyes soft; he squeezed my hand back and did the unexpected. "Your right, Jean was never good enough, only because," he paused to lift my hand to his lips. "I was already looking at someone else." Finished with his statement he pressed his lips to my hand. It was, if my memory serves right, the first time Fred has ever done anything like this. At first it felt oddly good, the fact of his lips felt hot. My skin around his mouth tingled and I gave a sigh. Fred's lips turned to a smile on my skin as they quickly went up my right arm. As his lips glided up my arm, he pulled me in until I was pressed to his chest. I was going to fall but his free arm laced around my shoulders.

Before long his face become close to mine and an odd look of longing passed his eyes. "Lily." He said as he took a heavy breath. My face started to burn, with my eyes parting and being consumed by his gaze. I am not sure what his intentions were but suddenly I felt strange. _What about Pietro, _a voice brushed in my mind and that is when I got confused. I am not sure what he has to do with what Fred could be intending…wait, what is Fred intending!

I cleared my throat and pulled away slightly. "Um…" I skimmed his face and trying to find words but at the moment there was none. There is a look of regret in Fred's gaze that made me more uneasy. Also, I suddenly felt very uncomfortable in my own skin or was it being in Fred's arms, I could not tell.

Fred had stopped whatever the hell he was going to do and gave me a bear hug. "Aprill, I…"

"Ehh-hem," I looked over Fred's arm to see Pietro, arms crossed over his chest and his left foot taping. "I thought you said you did not care about her Blob?" his tone is somehow calm but as for his eyes, they were hard with hate.

With some regret, Fred and maybe me as well, I pulled away from him and walked over to Pietro. He does not have an evil gaze for me but a small smile, soft eyes, and a warm huge. On the other hand, Fred looked as if someone just punched him. For him a punch met every little, so someone impotent to him most had hit him, like me.

That look however did not last when Fred answered. "Of course I care," there is smugness to his voice. "She is my best friend."

Pietro gave a smirk. "Of course you are." He said in a taunting manner. "Lance has been looking for you two." The statement directed to me.

I smiled shyly. "Sorry, I was going to go back to you but…" I looked over to Fred and smiled. "We are not fighting anymore and he is happy for us."

Pietro gave a small laugh. "I am sure that he could be love." giving me a small kiss on the mouth, Pietro led me inside the dining hall with Fred shortly behind.

Once inside, I felt very unconvertible being between my odd best friend and protective boyfriend. There is a thick tension in the air around me and I was not the only one who felt it. Brotherhood and X-Men felt it but the X-Men looked confused at why the tension is there. Any who, as for the dining hall itself, it looks like all the other ones at camps, every inch of the place is made of wood with ten long tables. Nine were divided into two rows with the tenth, the head table, being in the front. At the entrance of the hall, the first table to the left was where the X-Men sat. With Fred on my right and Pietro at my left, we walked past the hard looks. Scott's visor started to glow a fire red as he watched Fred. Jean's thick red hair moved around her face as if air was being blown through it. Kitty and Kurt, not knowing any of us, gave us a small smile. On the other hand, Even started to grow these wood like spikes. They are small on the top of his hands and stared at Pietro. I sigh, seeing that I was not the only one dealing with tension.

Passing tension-X, we moved to the last table to the right of the head table. There the rest of the Brotherhood sat and unlike the X-Men, they knew about the three of us. Lance was shaking his head and Toad was laughing so hard that he almost fell out of his chair.

It was Rogue that got up and stood by me. "Wow, hone you look stressed. Come on," And pulled on my arm. "Sit with me." when she started to move me to my seat, both the boys were staring coldly at Rogue, then at each other. "Easy there boys, no need to be spitting out testosterone."

"Rogue…" They said coldly but did not finish seeing they were going to say the same thing.

Lance gave a loud cough. "That's enough, can we get to the mine topic please."

"Sure thing sugar." Rogue said gladly and sat me beside her. I was at the end of the table so nether Fred or Pietro could sit by me. So Fred sat across the table from me and Pietro sat between Lance and Toad. Now it was clear that I had never felt so coward.

Lance bit into his toast. "So, I am taking it that you have things under control Lily?"

I looked shyly away from him. "I would hope so." I murmured, but still loud enough for Lance to hear.

Rogue snapped. "Give the girl a break shake down." She patted me on the shoulder. "The girl has enough to handle with nimrod brothers over there."

Toad was on the floor laughing as both Fred and Pietro turned an angry red. I gave them smart looks. "Pietro," I gave him a calming glance that shut him up. "Tucker." Looking at Fred with a hard serious look, he looked at me with almost betrayed in his gaze but that dissolved quickly and apologized to me.

"Anyway, so what do we think about the camp, members?" Lance asked and gestured to Pietro to start first.

He nodded. "It seems like a descent camp, however," Pietro said. "This Carly Waters seems to be X-Men also."

Rogue shook her head. "But what about the Juggernaut, they are together and Cain is on the Brotherhood."

"That's true." Toad murmured.

I shook my head. "That does not matter," I said. "My mom was a hero and my dad was a criminal before they married. Even when she was with my father, mom didn't give up her hero title."

Fred nodded in agreement. "Tigerlily is right, just because Cain is one of us, doesn't mean that Carly has to be a member also."

Lance nodded and turned to Toad. "What about you, what do you think?"

Toad shrugged. "The place is fine; it's just the X-Men I don't like."

Everyone nodded at that, so Lance turned to Rogue. "And you?"

She smiled. "I agree with Toad." She said. "Why are they here anyway?"

I shrugged. "Well if Cain really dose live here then professor-X must want to take him down." I said. "You know before someone gets hurt."

Lance nodded. "That is what Boss said and that is why we are here," he said. "So the X-Men can't take Cain away."

Pietro glanced at me. "What about you Lily, what do you think?"

I looked at my eggs on the plate in front of me. "Well, there is nothing wrong with the camp. Carly is one weird character that we should learn more about and as for the X-Men and Cain." I paused to look up at Lance with a smile. "We can own them and keep Cain with us."

Fred chuckled. "Damn right we can own them." A smirk played on his lips. "I agree with Lily all the way." His smile grows as he glanced at me and friendly winked.

I smiled at him and returned his playful wink. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Pietro, staring icily at Fred. I turned my gaze to him and loudly cleared my throat. When Pietro looked at me, I gave him a warning look, shook my head and mouthed 'be nice'. Pietro mouthed 'but he just made a move on you'.

"How the hell was that making a move?" this time my voice came out and I was not happy.

He smacked his forehead. "He fucken winked at you, how is that not…"

"It's called a playful gesture between friends." I said looking in Fred's stunned face. "Fred and I do things like that all the time."

"But…"

I cut him short. "Look I understand that it looks like a move but it's not." I said. "Listen Pietro I love you and all but if you're going to be a jerk to my best friend then we can't make this work."

When that was said, all that anger was gone and the guy that I care about came back. In the blink of an eye, he was out of his chair and behind me, arms gently around my neck.

Pietro kissed my cheek. "I am sorry love, you are right. The two of you have been friends for some time." He said. "Not to offend but are you sure Fred dose not love you?"

Fred's face burned. "Hey, I already said I don't love her like that." He said coldly. "She is my best friend, family, nothing more."

Now Pietro moved away from me and came to Fred's side. "Not that I want you to take my girl," he said and Fred protested that I'm not property, Pietro continued. "However it bugs me to see that you love her and you don't say it." He smiled. "Come now, just look at her." His voice merely a whisper now and they did just that, look at me. "Lily is the most beautiful girl in the world, with beautiful eyes, full red lips, clear skin, and of course that smoking hot…"

"Shut up!" I nearly scream as I get up and was ready to leave. My face is hot with embracement and angry over how my boyfriend was talking like that. Sure, at first I was flatter but as he went on he did not say anything about my personality. Just my looks that makes all the guys pant over and what's worse…is that he's trying to get only guy on the plant to do the same. "I will not stay here and hear another word of this." With that I was out of the room with Fred calling me back.

"Lily wait," I begged but she did not stop. I swear ever scene we got here, me and Lily have been at each other like crazy. That sick feeling returned from this morning and I suddenly felt very sick. I turned to the guy that I have hated scene he kissed her on the dock last night. "What the hell is wrong with you Pietro?"

He sneered. "Me, what about you Blob?" he said with poison. "Why don't you just say it, how can you not love…"

I stood up and griped his throat in my hand. "Because Aprill wouldn't care about me like that," I said flatly. "Besides, she is having feelings for you, trust. And if I want anything it's for her to be happy." With that I let him go and walked after Aprill. I know what I said was almost true but even then after all these years of knowing her. There is more to her then just looks for one and secondly after knowing her so long, I don't know if what I'm feeling to her is friendship or something else…

Once again I found myself half way across the lake, but this time I was alone. No Pietro to hold me, no pain stricken Fred to make peace with and serenely no animals in the trees. In the small time that I was in the hall, rain started to pour outside. I floated in mid-air under the willow tree that I talked to Fred and Pietro held me. Clouds covered the sun, so the world around me was a cloudy grey.

"Why does this always happen to me?" I whispered aloud to myself. In ways I know why Pietro did what he did, to get Fred to tell the truth. However, now that Fred has said 'I don't love her' three times now, I know he was telling the truth. I have found that because of my super hearing, I can tell if someone is lying or not. Only just because, when you lie, your heart rate would raise along with your breathing. Sure, the first two times Fred was angry and made his heart race but even then, there was something about him that said 'He's not lying."

But now that I heard this for the third time I got a better reading. Freddy was calm when he said it even if he looked boiling mad. As for lying with Pietro, I was not so sure. Now thinking more on what he said, his tone of voice was neutral. There was no meaning or affection to the words he spoke.

Why?

He was talking about how beautiful his girlfriend was. It's hard to think that he could think that I was plain but somehow I didn't care. I know better that I'm not plain but shouldn't Pietro have more love in his tone. He even told me himself that he loved me, twice! I know that he was telling me the truth the first time but it was in the dining hall that changes all that.

"What are you doing away from the other Aprill?" I look up in surprise to see Carly Waters. Her long sandy hair is up in a pony tail and wearing a long lime spring dress. In her left hand she held a black umbrella over her head. A shadow was cast over her face but I could still see her heart shaped face that held wide calm eyes.

I whipped my face clean of rain and tease. "I'm just thinking Ms. Waters."

She smiled. "Please, call me Carly." She said. "I see that you healed well, not like that was not expected." Her smile grows. "How about Mr. Dukes?"

I glared at her. "If this is your way of making me feel better," I snarl. "Then you're doing one hell of a job."

Carly gave a small laugh. "God, you remind me so much of your father." She frowned slightly. "He always had a small temp when he was upset."

I grinned. "I know, that means I could also kick your ass again."

She shook her head. "I'm not here to fight Tigerlily." Carly took a step to me and extended the umbrella over my head. "Love and friendship are hard things to carry together so heavily."

"How could you know that?" I snorted and wondered how she could have known what happened.

She gently smiled. "I was just walking in the back door when you walked out." She suddenly frowned. "I had to make both boys stay in the hall before they could run out."

Suddenly I felt bad that I just yelled at her and wanted to kill her. "Oh, um…thank you Carly."

She smiled at my embracement. "You're welcome," Carly started to nod. "You are in quiet a corner, with two boys after your heart."

I shook my head. "Only one loves…"

"I know but the question is which one?" she gave a small smile and started to walk away.

"Aprill, there you are!" I was going to ask Carly a question but someone called to me. I looked away from Carly retreating to see Fred running to me. His brown eyes are wide with worry and relief to find me at last. I got out of the air to stand upright in time to have his warm arms around me. Fred is just as soaked as me but I didn't feel cold anymore. "Are you ok, Lily?"

I placed my face deep under his chin. "Why do all the men in this world love me for one thing Freddy?"

"Hey," he said. "I'm not like that."

I looked up to see his eyes. "But Pietro wants you…"

Fred cut me short gently. "Pietro can be an ass hole." He said and held me tighter to his chest. "Lily, I do care about you, not like Pietro but still I know there is a hell a lot more to you then just looks."

I smiled. "So do you think that Pietro really cared about me for all of who I am?"

Fred looked away in that moment and sadness passed in his eyes, like there was something I didn't know. Again I felt bad that I said something wrong but I let him think, only because I was thinking about Carly. How could she think that one loves me more than the other? It was like she was saying that the one that claims that he loves me doesn't and the one that doesn't really does. Oh, no I'm not thinking of this again! Even with their actions, Pietro is truthful when he says he loves me and so is Fred when he says he doesn't love me.

"To be honest Lily," Fred's asks and waits to see if his answer is what I wanted to hear. I nodded. "I don't think he dose like you fully." It does not surprise me that Fred felt that way but what did, were my tease. My face was back in Fred's chest and I felt suddenly confessed. "Hey, Lily I am sorry if…"

"It's not you," I sobbed. "It's me, now I don't know what to do."

He gave me a firm hug. "Do you love him?" Fred asked me gently.

I explained that I believed that I did love Pietro and told him what Carly said. "But in all this I still want to give him a chance."

Fred sighed, running a hand through his wet hair. "This has got to stop."

"I would say so." We looked over to Lance and the other Brotherhood members. The only one that was not there was Pietro. "Silver went to talk to Carly and as for the plan," Lance said. "We wait for Cain to come in two days."


	14. Chapter 13: The Waited…Surprise

Chapter Thirteen

The Waited…Surprise

The next two days at Redwood Camp were not too bad—if I could really say that. After the whole thing Pietro and Fred, I hardly ever saw Quicksilver. Whenever I did, there would be very little talk. Just the simple "Hi's" and "How are you's" but even then it did not feel right. Even when I ask what is wrong, Pietro would shrug and not answer. Then yesterday was no better, Carly made very one do a training type session. Well no one really did anything, just her showing us how to work the field.

Today, the second day for Juggernaut however was different. Carly told us at breakfast that we were starting the train at noon. That was nice and all but Lance was got nerves. He and others (but me, Fred and Rogue) wanted to see the Juggernaut soon. Other than that problem, all the members looked forward to kicking X-men ass.

"What is the matter sugar?" Rogue asked when were outside the hall. Fred was talking to Toad and Pietro was with Lance.

I gave her my best smile. "Wrong, nothing is the matter…why?"

Rogue shrugged with a grin. "Well you aren't talkin to silver these days and you and Freddy-boy are in and out."

I shrugged, looking over at Pietro. "I don't know what's wrong with him," I turned back to Rogue. "And there is nothing wrong with Fred and me."

"If you say so girl," stated Rogue and changed the subject. "So when do think this Cain fellow will show?"

We started to the lake before I answered. "I don't have a clue," I said. "All I know is that he will be trouble."

Rogue snorted. "Oh please, by the way old waters is saying," a sudden smile came to her lips. "That boy won't be doing a thing."

I laughed. "Well I guess that is true." And for a few minutes we laughed and joked around. We continued are walk for a whole long before we stopped under a thick oak tree.

"So," Rogue nudged me in the shoulder. "How are things really going between you and Silver?"

"Fine till what happened the other day." I rolled my eyes with a sigh.

"You mean what all happened in the hall?" I nodded. "Oh well Pietro had no right to do that to you."

I was still nodding. "I know but whenever I ask what is going on, he doesn't answer."

Rogue shook her head. "What you all see in that egomaniac any who?"

I sighed. "I thought he was charming, kind, sweet, caring…" I shook my head, not willing to finish the list. "But now I'm not so sure."

Rogue shyly smiled. "And what about Freddy?"

I glared at her. "Rogue!"

She held her hands up in defense. "I'm just say in, that between the two of them, Fred-boy is better."

I darkly chuckled. "Well then maybe you should date him then."

She gagged. "Hey now girl, no affiance to him but he aren't my type. Besides you and him get along a lot better."

I snorted. "That's because we have been friends forever Rogue."

Then she turned serious. "Ya, I know that and is also why you two would be great. Fred gets you a whole hell a lot better than anyone especially Pietro."

"So what," I exclaimed and walked to the lake front. "I don't have feelings for him and the same goes for him." I turned to look at her. "What do you want me to do, dump Pietro and try my small luck with my best friend?"

Once again, Rogue shook her head. "No, but I want you to think about someone better then Silver, even if it's not Fred." And with that Rogue walked away and I didn't stop her. I knew she was right, at the moment any guy was better than Pietro, even Freddy. Shaking my head, I turned around and walked the way we came.

For a long time I was alone in cabin five. Maybe I was there for three hours, and just sat on Fred's bed. There was so much about many things that I didn't understand. Weather it was Pietro and me or the secrets that Fred kept. Or maybe it was the fact that everyone thought that Fred love me. Then there was if I should stay with the Brotherhood or not. There was so much about the Brotherhood that I did not know. By the look of it, I was the only one that did not know. I shook my head, the answers would come in time, and I just have to be patient. But how long would I have to wait and why should I. Pietro and I are dating and should be talking things out. Then Fred and me are best friends and should trust each other. Also if people think that Fred loves me then the facts should be shown to me. Finally as for the Brotherhood—well if I'm a member then I should be told what's going on.

"Oh why the long face?" I look up from my hands with a start. A middle-aged man that I had never seen before stood a few feet in front of me. He has fair skin, sky blue eyes and short curly blond hair. This man was about Fred's height and slightly built.

I snarled. "Who are you and what do you want with me?"

The man smiled. "My name is of no importance and I just wanted to talk." There was something about his face, his voice and built that was familiar. I wished I could say that I had seen him somewhere before but I couldn't.

I looked at him over thoughtfully. "Have we met before?"

He grinned. "Not likely, however I have heard about you."

"Really?" I asked with a dangerous smirk.

"Truly." He returned my smirk and looked amused.

I nodded. "So then what do you want to know?"

He shook his head. "It's not what I want but what you want."

My head tilted to the side. "What do you..."

"You want answers," he said. "Then make sure that your at training today and you get at least three answers. That and possibility a little more new knowledge."

"But how…" I started to ask but there was a knock on the door. My eyes left the man for a moment to look at the door. When I looked back at the man…he was not there.

The door opened then and Freddy started to walk in. "Aprill are you here," then he saw me on his bed. "I guess so." For a few moments we just looked at each other as Fred shut the door. I was wondering if he heard me talking to the man. By the look of it Fred didn't know but there was something he wanted to say.

I sighed. "Is there something on your mind Fred?"

He ran a hand in his hair. "I just have wanted to talk something's out."

I gestured for him to sit with me. "Ok, what is it that you want to talk about?"

Slowly Fred walked over and sat beside me. Once again things got quiet and Fred played with his hands. _He's nerves,_ I thought to myself, _I wonder why?_ Finally Freddy cleared his throat and spoke. "You're still upset with me, aren't you?" it was not a hateful tone but rather a saddened one.

I sighed. "I understand that there's something you will tell me when you're ready. It's the other ideas that are upsetting me."

Fred ran through his hair again. "I don't like this…this wall that's starting to build between us," he looked at my face. "It makes me edgy and worried."

I frowned. "Well it's not just your secrets that are upsetting me."

He nodded sadly. "I guessed that," then he paused and turned his body to face me. "What else is there?"

I shook my head. "Well other then you, there is Pietro. But I just need to get up and talk to him," I said and stood up from the bed. "Next there was how you are said to love me but you already said no." I had my back to Fred when I paused again. Fred's eyes burned into my back but I wasn't sure if I should say the last worry.

"There's more," Fred whimpered. "I can just tell…go on Lily, tell me."

I sighed. "I have…well, I've been thinking about the Brotherhood and…if I should leave." The last part came out in a rush and I knew Fred wouldn't like the idea.

"No," Fred whimpered his sob and stood up. "Why would you leave and where would you go?"

I shifted my footing uncomfortably. "First, I don't even know what the Brotherhood really stands for."

"Aprill…"

"Freddy," I turned to look at him. "I'm the only one here that doesn't know what's going on."

He shook his head. "That's not true."

I smiled sadly. "Bullshit, even you know more than me."

Fred sighed. "Ok maybe I do but I really don't know if that's true," that was when Fred's voice cracked. "But if you leave, where would you go? Back home?"

I shook my head again. Of course I would love to go back to Texas and see John. But I could not leave Freddy like that, so there was only way. "No, if I go…then I was going to…be an X-Man."

That's when Fred stood right in front of me and griped my arms. "No," Fred whispered sadly. "You don't need to leave Aprill. I'm going to be here and protect you."

"Freddy even you're not perfect, things could happen." I said slowly, try to make Fred understand.

Fred shook his head. "I have been here for you for ten years. You are safe with me."

Tease started to sting my eyes. We are talking about hurt and pained thoughts now. I was not sure if I should tell him this next part but he had a right to know. "Freddy, ever scene the first day in Bayville with Jean…I haven't felt truly safe."

That's when Fred himself cried. "But I…Why didn't you…you didn't tell me?"

I started to feel my tease on the rims of my eyes. "I wanted to but I didn't understand what it meant." Then my voice shook and I cried. "I'm so sorry Trucker."

His bottom lip trembled. "So you're just going to leave me," Fred's voice cracked as he wrapped his arms around my waist. "After everything we have done, and what we promised. Lily bear I…"

I shook my head sadly at what he said. "No, when I'm with the X-men we will still see each other. We'll still be friends, no matter…"

"But we'll be fighting Aprill!" Fred's grip on me tightened. "Friends don't fight like what the X-men and Brotherhood will be doing."

That made my head title to the side. "Fighting, Freddy what are you…"

"Hey you two," We looked at the door to see Lance. "Training is about to start, are you ready."

"Ya we are Lance." Fred answered and as Lance left Fred whispered in my ear. "We're not finished with this talk."

I nodded. "I'm not thinking of leaving for a while yet." With that Fred griped my shoulders as we walked out of cabin five. I know that was more to say and more to explain. _Fighting,_ I wondered when we got outside. _What did he mean by that? _

"Ok now that everyone is here," Carly nodded when she saw Fred, Lance, and myself. "Let's see, dose anyone want to go first?"

I whispered in Lance's ear. "What is she talking about?"

Lance looked at me sideways. "We volunteer to go up and _fight _someone."

I nodded, all the X-Men and Brotherhood members stood at the lake front. We were at the west side where there was enough room for combat. I was a little nerve, not knowing who would call me out to fight.

"I'll go!" everyone turned to see Scott step out of the coward of X-Men. I shook my head knowing there were only two mutants he would want to fight, Fred and myself.

Carly smiled. "And who would you like to be your appointee?"

Scott returned her smile. "The Brotherhood's own," My heart sank. "Tigerlily."

Fred's face turned red in anger. "Aprill didn't do anything to you slim!"

Scott turned to face Fred and me. When Scott walked closer to us, Freddy put his right arm in front of me. "Oh and me fighting you would be better round boy," Scott sneered and Fred was about to lose his temper. "My powers don't work on you so I'm not stupid."

Fred got in Scott's face. "You are stupid if you think Aprill is an easier fight."

The young X-Men snorted. "I would think so because no one in the x-mansion knows what she can do."

I shook my head and got myself between the two men. "Stop it," I snapped and then looked at Scott with a growl. "You want to know what I can do four-eyes fine. You have yourself a fight."

Scott smirked. "That's more like it," Then his smirk grow. "I was about to think that you let that ape make all…" I snarled then and shoved Scott back. He let out a yelp as he fell on his ass a few feet away.

With a simple thought I was an inch off the ground and slowly moved to Scott. I crossed my arms behind my back and watched him slowly get up. "When will you X-Men learn?" I hissed. "Making fun of Fred is not good for your health."

Scott rubbed his mouth and spit on the ground. "To be honest, it's too easy to make…" I roared and flung forward to grip my hands in his shirt. Slowly, to scare Scott, I lifted him off the ground. I stopped when we were all most five feet off the ground. Scott started to struggle. "Hey put me down!"

I smirked. "You wanted to know my powers, well this is just the start." All the X-Men were in shock at the display. As for the Brotherhood they were cheering and laughing.

"You know," It was Freddy and he had the biggest grin on his face. "You could have had more luck if you fought me instead."

Scott's visor started to glow but I shook my head. "One, you hit me then you fall and could break a leg. But if you don't break anything in the fall," I grinned. "Well, Freddy will make sure of it for blasting me."

Scott sighed. "Then what are you going to do."

I smiled. "Don't squirm too much." With that I through Scott up in the air which made him yell and scream for help. In a flash I morphed into a lioness and griped the collar his shirt with my teeth when he was in reach. All the X-Men looked up in shock.

"Wow," Kitty said with wide eyes.

"Oh man, what the hell?" that was Even's shocked voice.

Pietro chuckled. "Aprill is an animal morfer."

Freddy snorted. "Probably just as strong as me, can fly, has super senses and has healing powers."

Even sighed and rolled his eyes. "Oh and that's all." 

Carly smiled. "Lily comes from _very_ powerful _immortal_ parents and summers walked right into a lion's den."

Scott struggled again. "Um hello, can I get put down now?"

I scuffed and slowly walked, in mid-air and still holding Scott, over to the water front. When the water was deep enough, "If you insist." I snorted and let him go. Scott splashed in the water with a yelp and most of the Brotherhood was on the ground laughing.

When I landed on the ground in normal form, it was Pietro who came to hug me. "That's was wonderful my love."

I raised an eyebrow. "Oh now you're talking to me?"

Pietro pulled away to look at my face. "Can we talk after training, like a long one?" He frowned when I did and Pietro held me tighter. "Please baby, there's a lot for me to be sorry for."

I sighed. "Ok, that sounds reasonable."

Pietro was going to say more but Scott cut him sort. "No fair, I want a do over."

I stepped out of Pietro's arms to face Scott. "Oh I didn't think you still had your pride." I shook my head. "No rematch summers, you should walk away while you still can."

Scott was going to reply but Jean pulled him away. "Come on Scott, just let it go."

Kurt nodded. "Yes my friend. If you do face her again…well who knows what could happen."

Carly shrugged. "Well now that we got that out of the way. Who wants to go next?"

When no one answered, Fred smiled. "Ok then, I'll go next." That's when people started to turn pale, even I did.

Carly raised an eyebrow. "Really Mr. Dukes and who would you like to face?"

Freddy grinned and paned the crowd of scared mutants before his eyes stopped at me. "No way." I giggled.

He smiled and walked over to stand in front of me. "Oh yes way, I challenge my team mate Tigerlily."

I grinned. "Alright, when you put it that way," Then I shrugged. "So how do you want this session to go?"

Freddy playfully snorted. "No animal, no flying and if you can help it, no super scenes."

I nodded with a smile. "Oh that kind of hand to hand session," I jumped in place. "That is my favorite."

"You're joking," Scott sneered. "Why didn't…"

"Because summers," Fred chuckled as he got space between us. "This is one of the sessions me and Lily did back home." Then he looked at Scott. "I'm the only one who can have these sessions with her."

Carly smirked. "Well this will be an interesting display. I give permission for this fight, you may begin when ready."

"You ready Trucker?" I asked with growl.

He shook his head with a smile. "No growling either Lily."

I put my hands on my hips. "Oh ya and who's going to stop me you?"

"No, that would be me." Everyone turned to look behind me.

Slowly I turned to see, "You again!" It was the same man that I talked to in cabin five.

The man smiled. "And it's you again, my darling Aprill."

Fred came up from behind me and growled at the new comer. "Who the hell are you?"

"Oh there's a question we should be asking you big boy." Almost out of thin air came a young woman flow from the sky. She was my age and has short read hair. Her eyes are a deep blue, fair skinned and wore a long red dress. Just like the man there was something about her that made me think I'd seen her before. The she evilly smiled at Fred. "Don't be cold handsome, what's your name?"

Fred griped my arms from behind me. "Fred Dukes, Aprill's best friend."

"And a member of the Brotherhood," The man grinned. "Boy, they get some strong young ones to join," He looked at the girl. "Don't you think?"

"But of course." The girl smiled.

That's when Carly stepped forward. "What are you two doing here?"

The girl smirked. "Carly Waters, what a pleasure it is to see you once again."

Carly snorted. "The less I can say for you Phoenix."

Fred snorted. "What kind of a name is that?"

The man smiled. "The kind of name for a powerful mutant," Then he looked at me. "Now for what I promised, my sweet Aprill the first thing you will learn is the full name of the Brotherhood."

"What he promised?" Fred wondered. "Aprill do you know them."

Phoenix grinned. "She should but some things got in the way."

I shook my head. "How…"

"The Brotherhood of _Evil_ Mutants." The man cut me off.

I looked at him. "You mean I'm…"

"Yes my girl, you're working for a group of _vileness _mutants." The man answered slowly.

Carly snapped. "Stop toying with the girl Richard…"

"Wait," I shouted and then I got a better look at the man. All at once I saw the familiarity in his face, the way he stood and even his voice. "Richard as in…"

Richard smiled. "It's good to finial meet you at last my sweet half sister."

"But, Dad told me…"

"That I was in jail," My newly founded half brother, Richard Fisk, sneered. "No thanks to Samantha, father had no choice."

I ignored Richard and looked at Phoenix. "And who are you, really?"

Phoenix snorted dryly. "Of course sweet mother and father wouldn't tell you about me."

Fred growled. "Aprill Lin is an only child!"

"No she isn't," Phoenix said. "My name is Phoenix Ember Fisk, Aprill my dear, we're twins."

"And your friends, like Fred have lied to you about the Brotherhood." Richard nodded. "However both your sister and I are proud that you're following in the Kingpin's footsteps."

"No," I whispered in pain. I know they were telling the truth, I could hear it in their voices.

Fred spun me around to face him. "Aprill, you don't really…"

I ripped away from him. "You lied to me," Then I looked at all the other Brotherhood members. "All of you sick bastards lied to me!" I screamed.

Fred took a step to me. "Lily please I didn't…"

"No," I backed away. I feel so confused and angry that the pained look on Fred's face didn't matter to me. Fred continued to try to come closer till my back was pressed to Richard's chest. I looked up at him. "Why did you tell me this brother?"

He griped my shoulders. "You had a right to know sister."

"Get your hands off…" Fred warned but Phoenix stepped between us.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you Blob." Phoenix hissed and stepped between us.

I shook my head. "But you two are criminals, just like what father was?"

Richard sighed. "Yes but we are still family sweet sis, we look out for each other."

Fred looked at me. "Lily please let me…"

"No!" I screamed and pulled away from Richard. "I'm sorry brother, sister but I must go."

"Aprill wait!" Fred called but Phoenix held him off. I ran to the cabin where I could be alone.

When I thought I was out of ear shot heard Richard call. "Take care sister dear." With that they disappeared and I told myself what my finial choice was.


	15. Chapter 14: The Finial Choice

Chapter Fourteen

The Finial Choice

That night I stayed alone in cabin five and sat on my bed cross-legged. In my hands I held the picture that I take very where I go. The only picture I have of me, John and Fred back home. Fred and I were both thirteen when this was taken. John stood between us, all of us smiling and Fred had his normal brown hair. I shook my head at how happy I was that day. Back then, I never had to worry about secrets or betrayed. No, in the good days I never even thought of what true betrayed was. Now sadly I believe that I know what that feels like. It was hot iron coils in your stomach and heart but somehow it was still cold. I remember the last time that I felt this cold, it was when Fred kidnapped Jean. I growled softly. "Why did this happen to me." It was around midnight when the front door started to open. I out right snarled then. "Who dares disturb…"

"Whoa, easy it's me." It was Fred and held his hands in defense. "I was just…"

"Leaving," I snarled and turned my back to him. "Get out Blob." I was too upset to call him by his real name, let alone call him Trucker.

There was frown in his voice. "I sleep here to Lily…"

"Don't call me Lily," I hissed. "And you can sleep at the bottom of the lake for all I care, just leave."

But he didn't listen. "Aprill, can we just talk about this?"

I laughed dryly. "Why so I can get more lies shoved in my throat?" I turned to look at him with narrow eyes. "Thanks but I'm sick of that."

He gasped. "I didn't know about your bro…"

"Not them you damn fool," I yelled hotly. "I've been played by the Brotherhood and you, tartar, let it happen."

Fred sighed in defeat. "I was told if I didn't tell you'd be…"

"What," I snorted. "Safe! God you're…"

"What other reason would I have to lie?" Fred yelled in pain. "You mean everything to me Lily, damn it, you're my best friend."

I looked away and tried to hide my tease. No matter how angry I was, Fred was still telling the truth. "I'm hurt and confused and angry Trucker." I looked back and didn't bother to hide my pain. "I just want to alone."

He shook his head slowly. "Please Aprill, let me help you."

"No," I shook my head. "Not tonight Freddy, just if you're so compelled. Then go to bed and be silent."

Fred smiled sadly and started to crawl into bed with me. "Alright with…"

I snapped. "Your bed not mine!" But I was too late, he had laid down on the other side of the bed and looked unmovable.

"You want me to go to bed and so I am," He smiled shyly. "You didn't say my own bed."

I sighed in my own defeat. "The bed won't hold you."

Fred winked. "I don't care about that," he reached out a hand to me. "All that matters is your happiness and sleep." When I hesitated, Fred sighed. "Don't make me beg Aprill. I won't lay a single touch on you. I just want you to rest."

My cheeks started to burn. "I'm sorry, it's just…" I looked away then and played with my fingernails. "We've never shared a bed before. Not even when John was with us."

"Oh Aprill, that's insulting." I looked back at him with a gasp and wondered what I said that hurt him. "Do you really think I would…well, you know…do something?"

My eyes widened in understanding. "Oh heaven forbid no. It's just well we haven't done this before, it sort of feels odd."

Fred pulled the blankets over himself. "Well I'm sure as hell ain't touchin' you and sure as hell ain't movin'."

I sighed. "Fred you know that _ain't_ isn't a word right?"

"Hey," the defensive tone in his voice made me smile. "It's twelve in the morin' and there's no way in hell your changin a Texas man's talk."

I laughed. "Funny, how you don't sound like a Texas man all the time."

He shrugged with smile. "It just happens that way little lady."

"God now you're going to call me that." I rolled my eyes and made Fred chuckle. Then I shook my head. "Still, the bed won't hold you boy."

Freddy shook his head with a snort. "Like I give a damn Lil',"

"But…"

"No buts," Fred countered. "Look I'm probably going to be overweight all my life Aprill. If you don't care then I sure as hell don't."

"That's nice Fred but your bed would be better." I said slowly.

He grinned softly. "Aprill, your bed is made out of steel to,"

I blushed a deeper red. "No it's not, why…"

"You don't remember, in your sleep you would turn into animals. One morin I found a tiger in your bed." Fred smiled at my embracement and continued. "Besides you don't think I know when a bed is made of steel. Come on Fisk I know I'm not that smart but not that stupid."

"Hey," I said sadly. "I didn't say that."

Fred yawned and curled up under the blankets. "I know Aprill," He closed his eyes. "Look I'm done talkin' about this. It's late and I'm tired after all the yellin'." A small smile came to his mouth. "Night Lil."

With in a few minutes Fred had fallen asleep and looked at peace. I sighed and yawned myself when I turned the lights off. The moon's light came from the windows when I curled under the covers. Even if the idea of Fred being in bed with me was odd, I let it go. With a soft purr, I pressed my back to his chest and closed my eyes. "Night Freddy."

The suns light wake me up the next morning. I fluttered my eyes open to find Fred still there. He was lying on his back and left arm across his chest. I found that I fell asleep clinging to his side. My right arm and face was on his chest. Then my left was under his shoulders. Fred's hair mess and his free arm was gentle cruelled around me.

I snorted quietly. "Won't touch me huh," Fred snored softly and I shook my head. "Big ox's" Gently I got up looked at the bed. It looked ok but when I kneeled on my side to look at the legs, there was a crack. "Shit…" I creased then yelped when the legs finial gave way.

"Grr," I gritted my teeth and looked behind me to see Fred still sleep. "Oh you're dead now." With that I lunged at him and shook him as I sat on his stomach. "Get up Texas man!"

Fred grunted in his sleep. "Five more minuets darlin."

I hissed. "Don't darling me Dukes, now get up."

Somehow he didn't hear me and started to talk in his sleep. "Get off her or I'll…" he might be having a nightmare but who was Fred talking about? "No…she's not yours…" Fred started to shake his head. "You don't care about her…not the way I love her."

My eyes narrowed. "Fred wake…"

"Aprill!" He yelled as his eyes flow open and quickly sat up. I was not prepared so I was flung and hit the wall. The right side of me shattered the window and with a gasp I slid to the ground. Fred blinked heavily and shook his head again. "What the…"

"Owa," I scuffed. "That woke me up."

Fred finial adjusted to the morning. "Lily," He gasped as I shook my head and stood. "Shit what the hell…"

I snarled when I looked my right arm. There was a long cut from wrist to shoulder and slowly bleed. I looked at Fred. "Why you," I lunged and pushed him back down on the bed. "How the hell I'm going to tell Carly that the window and bed are broken."

He blushed. "Ok I get the bed, you warned me," I snarl. "But what the hell were you doing sitting on me."

Then I turned red at how that must looked but I shook my head. "Trying to wake your ass up stupid."

Fred smirked playful. "Or maybe _you're _the one who _loves me_."

I snorted, let him go and flew over to sit on his bed. "Ha ha ha, in your dreams Trucker."

Fred slowly got up and came to me as I looked at my arm. "How deep is it?"

I sighed. "Not to deep but I see chips of glass in the cut," I rolled my eyes in knowing what was about happen. "Great this is going to hurt!"

He sat beside me and griped my arm gently. "Now you're mad at me," Fred's head bowed, "Again."

"Hey," I lifted his face back up with my wounded arm. "The bed is one thing because I told you so and then for this…" I grisened when the cut started to heal. As it did small little diamond shaped glass pieces were pushed out. "It was an accented."

He titled his head. "What happened?"

The cut got healed up the elbow. "You were having a dream when I tried to wake you," Then finished healing and about ten glass pieces lied on the bed. "So…who were you talking about?"

Fred narrowed his eyes. "I don't fallow."

I shrugged. "Something about someone touching this girl you love."

"Oh," His cheeks turned red. "Well, it was just a dream Lily."

"Really," He nodded. "But you yelled my name when you wake up. Maybe _you're _the one who _loves me_."

Fred shook his head, snorted and stood. "Ha Ha Ha, very funny Aprill."

"Hey," I said shortly. "I'm being serious."

"So am I." Fred countered and gave me a sideways glance. With that he went to over to the mirror and combed his hair. For a few minutes, we didn't speak to one another. Mentally I was debating if I should tell Fred my diction. However, the idea was shortly debated. It was clear that Fred was still hiding important things from me. So, Fred would find out later when everything was said and done.

So I cleared my throat and asked a different question. "So, what is the plan with Cain or the camp?"

Fred looked at me through the mirror. "Lance said that Carly is sending us home today."

I grunted. "Really, why is that, because of Cain?"

He nodded. "She is pretty sure that Cain is in trouble. So Carly is sending everyone home and closing the camp."

"When are we leaving?" I asked as I returned the nod.

That's when Fred stopped brushing his hair and looked right at me. "You sound quiet egger to know when we're leaving."

I shrugged. "So what,"

His eyes narrowed. "We didn't finish our talk did we?"

I looked away. "I guess not."

"Aprill," Fred said warningly. "You're not really thinking of leaving the Brotherhood, are you?"

"I don't know," I said flatly and looked back at him. "Just tell me when we're leaving."

Fred shook his head. "Not until you tell me."

I growled, stood and walked to the door. "One, I don't have time for games. Two, I'm sick of this camp and a good portion of the people here," My hand was on the handle and I opened the door. "And if you won't tell me then I'll ask someone else."

Fred gripped my arm and made me look at him. "Please don't lie to me Lily."

I out right laughed at that and pulled away from him. "So I'm the only one that can't lie," I walked out the door. "I have every right to lie."

I almost ran out to cabin nine so I could talk to Pietro. Sure enough when I knocked on the door Pietro opened it.

"Aprill," His eyebrows shot up and eyes widened in surprise. "What's up?"

I smiled. "You wanted to talk darling, so can we talk?"

Pirtro's blue eyes softened and grinned. "And here I thought you didn't want a talk." He wrapped an arm around my shoulders and walked me to the lake front. "So let's start with you, is there something bothering you."

I looked into his eyes. "Do you really want to date me? Do even care about me?"

He slowed his pace. "Well of course I love you Lily," Wonder filled his face. "That's why I asked you out, why?"

I shrugged. "You just seemed more focused on Fred liking me than anything else."

"Oh…that," We both stopped walking then and Pietro pulled me into his arms. "First I would like to say how sorry I am about that. It was just how he looked at you…I guess I started getting jealous and wanted him to admit his feelings."

I blinked in surprise. "Really," Pietro nodded. "Oh well, that dose make a lot of since."

He frowned. "Aprill, I really am sorry about how I acted. I do love you, really I do, so can you find it in your heart to forgive me."

I smiled and kissed his cheek. "Ok, you're forgiven."

Pietro smiled and blushed slightly. "Thank you baby," Then he turned serious again. "Lastly I would also like to apologize for yesterday."

I frowned. "Oh…did you lie to me to Silver?"

Pietro shook his head. "You must understand love, you were a new member and all new members don't know everything at first."

I raised an eyebrow. "What about Freddy?"

Silver sighed. "Blob was poking around in matters that were none of his business. Lance finally told him but warned not to tell you, at the time neither one of you were suppose to know."

"When was he told?" I asked.

"On the thread week." Pietro answered.

"I see, so who is leading us Pietro?"

He sighed again. "The head boss, we are unsure however we know who second in command is," Pietro kissed my forehead. "Have you ever heard of a mutant named Mystique?"

My eyes widened and I gasped. "Thee Mystique, as in shape shifter."

Pietro nodded slowly. "The one and only."

With that my eyes narrowed and I hissed. "Let me guess, I've already meet her right?"

He frowned. "Yes, Mrs. Darkhome."

That's when I pulled away from Silver and started to pace. "I knew there was something odd about her," I growled as I remembered when I first saw her. The way she showed no fear and paid me little mind. Mystique must remember my parents and knew I would know her. She and other dangers mutants were told to me when I was very young. However, I never dreamed I would meet her, let alone work for her. I stopped pacing then and howled, "God my parents will be so disappointed at this."

"Aprill," Pietro soothed. "Listen, working for her is for a noble cause. We look out for mutant kind."

I knew that was a lie but I went with it. As I nodded I walked back into Pietro's arms. "I understand Silver. So I heard we are leaving the camp. When is that happening?"

He shrugged. "I thought Blob would have told you," I shook my head. "We all leave at noon."

I smiled and thought to myself that in a few hours, I would be back in Bayville. Once there, my diction would take effect.


	16. Chapter 15: The X Men

Chapter Fifteen

The X-Men

So for the next three hours I was in and out of cabin five. Fred tried to talk with me but I spent my time with Rogue and Silver. I knew it was wrong to be this angry at Fred but he was still lying to me. When I told him I found out about Mystique, Fred seemed like there was nothing felt to hide but it was written on his face, there was still something there. It was noon and everyone was loading onto the bus. Fred was about to talk to me but…

"Hey Aprill," To my surprise it was Scott. "Can we talk on the bus?"

"In you're…" Fred started to snarl but I cut in front of him and stood in front of Scott.

I smiled. "For once you didn't pin me to a wall."

Scott rubbed his neck. "Ya, I learned from that. So do you mind talking with the X-Men?"

"Actually…" Fred started to say but I turned on him.

"This is my choice Trucker so back off!" I snarled.

However Fred didn't listen to me and tried again. He gently griped my arms and a saddened hurt fill his features. "Please Aprill I don't want to lose you."

A small smile came to my lips and I brushed my hands on his cheeks. Fred whimpered and tears started to rim around his eyes. I brushed his eyes clean. "Shh, I promised we would be friends forever and that will never change,"

"But,"

I shook my head gently. "You know what my choice is, I can tell. I must do this for me, please don't make this any harder."

Fred pulled me closers to his chest. "Aprill, there's something…"

"Hey you two," Lance yelled from the door of the bus. "Time to go, lets move."

I nodded looked back at Freddy. "We'll talk later."

"But I…"

"Later," I soothed and gave him a quick hug. "I promise." Then I gently pulled away and get inside the bus. Once inside I sat beside Scott with Jean and Kitty in front of us. Then Kurt and Even sat to my left. As for the rest of the Brotherhood, they sat in shock that I was not with them. Fred was the last one to board the bus.

When he passed Scott, he gave him a warning look. "I'm watching you Summers."

For a brief moment my eyes locked with Fred's and there was so much pain in his. "Trucker?" I said softly but he shook his head and went to sit with Toad.

"Wow," Kitty said with a giggle. "Like did anyone else see that?"

"Aprill?" Jean asked but I wasn't paying attention. I watched Fred sit down and for a moment he didn't look back. However, when he did look into my eyes there was an instant connection. It was like I was seeing him for the first time. Fred must have felt it to because he smiled. His arms crossed over his chest, eyes softened and he winked. I blushed and looked away from him and to my surprise I was smiling.

"Yo Aprill," It was Even talking. "You ok man?"

"Oh," I bit my lip and tried to see why my heart wouldn't stop beating so fast. But whenever I tried to think of a logical answer, nothing came and I started to think about him.

"Jean what's wrong with her?" Asked Scott.

"I don't know," Jean replied. "Maybe if…"

"Don't worry," I soothed and looked back into Fred's smiling face. "I'm just fine."

Fred grinned and whispered in a tone that only I could hear. "Of course you are."

With that Fred turned and talked with the other members. Then I turned to the X-Men and started to make plans. "So," I asked slowly to Scott. "What do you need to talk about?"

Scott smiled gently. "How are you feeling about the X-Men?"

* * *

The rest of the ride to Bayville was slow (that is what it felt like) and what seemed like ten minutes, we were back in town. No surprise that the Brotherhood was dropped off first. I was the last one off the bus as I waved goodbye to the X-Men.

"Bye Aprill," Jean called from behind me.

I smiled. "Bye Jean," Then I waved at Scott. "See you Scott."

"Bye Lily." Scott grinned with a nod.

As the bus pulled off the street and down the road, I turned and looked at the Brotherhood house. However, each member was standing in front of the house and looking at me.

I raised my chin with pride. "What are you looking at?" I scuffed.

"Lookin at," Toad snapped. "Yo, that's cold."

"Gal," Rogue pleaded. "What were you doin with them?"

"Talking," I answered coolly. "And don't give me those eyes, Lance talks to Kitty all the time."

Lance growled. "That's different!"

I rolled my eyes. "Ya whatever, I'm going inside." With that I brushed past everyone and walked inside. Once there I walked up the stairs and into my room. In about three hours, I was no longer going to be here. I would become what I should have been from the start.

Then my heart sank when I heard a knock on my door. "Go away please," I called.

But the door still opened and once again Fred was there. "Not on your life Lily," He answered as he stepped in and shut the door. I could see it in his eyes, Fred's been thinking a lot lately and because of me. A sad smile played his lips. "You may have everyone else fooled but not me Aprill," Then he frowned. "I know what your doing."

"Freddy," I started to say.

Fred walked toward me and slowly raised his hands. "And I can't let you go Lily," Then he got a firm grip on my arms. "You will have to fight me till I bleed for you to go."

I frowned with him and rested my hands on his arms, griping them just as tight. "Please," I whispered. "Don't make this any harder Fred."

"But I have to," Fred replied. "You can't go, you must stay."

"No," I said slowly. "I have to go, there's…"

"You have a choice," Fred explained. "We all have a choice Aprill."

I sighed. "But this is my choice Fred, on one else made if for me."

"But it was my stupid lies," Freddy cried. "My stupid mistakes that pushed you…"

"Fredrick Dukes," I interrupted him firmly. "Don't you dare say it's your fault because it's not." Tears swelled in both of our eyes. "It's my choice, mine, don't blame yourself."

His tears were thick and heavy down his face. With a trembling lip and his arms shacking, Fred pulled me to his body and had a firm grip on my shoulders. Then he buried his face in my thick hair, Fred's voice cracked. "I'm going to miss you, my Tigerlily."

I wrapped my arms around his thick neck and took in his warm, homey scent. "I'll miss you to, my brother."

Fred held me even closer. "You sure there is nothing I can say to change your mind?"

"I wish there was big guy," I sobbed and brushed his cheek with mine. "But I need to do this."

With a heavy sigh, Fred scooped me up in his arms and rubbed my back to calm me. It got quiet once Fred walked over and sat down on my bed/mattress and kept me close to him. I curled up in his arms as I showed my sadness through my eyes. Fred patted and rubbed my back to sooth me as he hummed. It was not any hum either, it was the melody that John song when we were kids. To think that now all of what my past was now had to change. I'm away from home, from John and now I had to move away from my best friend.

I cried even harder and Fred griped me even tighter. "There, there Lil," Fred whispered. "Don't cry, I'm here, it'll be alright."

But just when that was being said, my phone rang and I adjusted to get it from my packet. It was a text and while I frowned, Fred growled.

_Hey Aprill, it's Jean and wanted to remind you that we are waiting for you in ten minutes._

"No," Fred hissed and put all his strength into holding me to him. He stared crossly at my phone, like he was looking at Jean. "You can't have her,"

"Freddy."

"No," He growled stubbornly. "I won't…I can't let you go!"

I cupped his face in my hands and whipped his angry tears. "I'll miss you with all my heart I will and we'll always be friends,"

"Aprill," Fred whimpered.

"But please brother," I pleaded. "Let me go."

Slowly his grip loosened but still shook his head. Pushing his face into my hair again and whispered. "I love you Aprill and I'm going to miss you so much."

I hugged him tight one last time. "I love you to Freddy and I'll miss you just as much."

* * *

It took a lit bit longer for him to finally let her go but Fred had no choice. He watched her walk out the door and when it shut, he looked out the window and watched her get into Scott's car. Lily looked back at the house and saw him watching, she waved goodbye. He waved back as the car pulled away and once it was out of sight, he moaned in pain. Fred looked away from the window walked into the living room. Sitting on the couch he continued to moan.

He cupped his face in his hands. Fred never wanted to push her away or even watch her walk away. He wants her back and Fred guessed that he wouldn't get her back now. Still moaning in pain and looked blankly at his hands, someone entered the room.

"Sugar," Fred didn't have to look up to know that Rogue was talking to him. Her southern tone of voice was hard to miss. Not answering her or looking at her, Rogue asked. "What the matter big guy."

He sighed and looked up at Rogue. "She's gone Rogue," he sniffed. "I tried stopin her but there was nothing I coulds do."

"She?" Rogue asked with a question in her hazel eyes but then they widened. "Ya mean Tigerlily?" Fred shivered at her codename and looked away for Rogue. There was frown in her voice. "Where did she go Freddy?"

Freddy groaned at the fired clamp that griped his stomach. "She's with the X-Men now Rogue," Then he looked back at her. "And I miss her Rogue."

Rogue sat down beside him and patted his shoulder with a gloved hand. "You love her don't ya," Fred looked at her with round eyes and Rogue rolled hers. "Oh please you can lie to the others and her but I know love when I see it."

"But I don't," Fred started but Rogue raised an eyebrow and he sighed. "When did you see?"

She shrugged. "I see it in your face whenever you are around her."

Fred sighed and fell back on the couch. He pinched the bridge of his nose. "Just don't tell anyone ok Rogue," He closed his eyes. "Especially Aprill, I don't want her to know how I feel yet."

* * *

"Well, it's good to finally see you Aprill," Professor Charles Xavier smiled up at me from his wheel chair and held out a hand to me. Well, the Professor didn't look like anything that I thought he would look like. He was old, bold, brown eyes and of course he was in a wheel chair. It was night fall by the time that Scott drove me up the shore line, X-mansion. It was hard for me to put into words how the mansion looked, other than the fact that it was huge and a sandy-orange color. Scott told me before that we got into the fire room that there was going to be a meeting. So when I walked into the fire room with Scott at my side, it was not surprising to find all the X-Men there are waiting for me. I took the Professor's hand with a smile. "It's a shame that Fredrick could not be here with you my dear."

That was when my heart sank back into my stomach. Looking back, I saw the look on his face as he watched me go through the window. He looked so lost, so pained, and yet he still would not come with me. I never asked him to but I still would have thought that he would come, just for us to stay together. But no, Fred just stood there in silence as I packed the rest of my things a few hours ago. Neither of us really knew how to say goodbye and neither of us really knew what do when the other was gone. I know that I have no idea how my stay with the X-Men will go, now that Fred was not going to be here with me. Just like on the first day of school, without him being there for the first few moments felt strange. But now I was not sure when we have to just hang out...or even do that because he might be mad at me.

"There, there Aprill," Professor said smoothly and patted my hand. I just saw that I was shivering and my eyes were closed. I thought that I would be more scared about how the Professor knows what I was thinking but I already knew that he was a telepath. My parents told me about his powers when I was younger. Charles smiled again. "Don't worry Lily, I'm sure that Mr. Dukes will come on his own means."

I weakly smiled. "You don't him Professor, Fred's stubborn, I don't think that he will ever come."

He sighed. "Well, only time will tell." With a quick nod, Charles smiled again. "Now before I have Storm show you to your room, there is something that you should see."

I looked at Professor oddly and then at the others, they were all smiling. "Ok," I sighed. "What is everyone smiling about?"

"Now Aprill, that is no way to talk." My eyes widened at the sound of that deep male voice. Slowly I turned to see who it was. "I think we raised you better than that."

I gasped. "Daddy?"

Sure enough, there he was, standing in the door way and smiling at me. His eyes were soft as he looked at me. "Look at you," He whispered. "Look at how you've grown, you just like your mother."

I felt tears in my eyes and ran up to him, wrapping my arms around him and started to cry. "Oh daddy,"

"Oh," Father soothed and returned my firm huge. "Shhh, there, there my little flower it's alright, don't cry."

I sniffed. "I've missed you daddy." Father brushed my face clean with his massive hand.

He smiled weakly. "And I've missed you, my daughter."

"Papa," I looked up into his eyes. "Where's Mama, where she daddy." I sounded like was I five years old again. It was hard to keep all of my emotions in order with have my father standing in front of me. It had been years since I last saw either my mother or father. And even if I loved seeing my father, I started to worry about were my mother was.

"I'm right here my lamb," I looked over my shoulder to now see that my mother was standing there, smiling at the two of us.

"Mom," I cried, pulled away from dad and hugged her. "Oh mom," I cried even more then.

She hugged me back and kissed my face with a purr. "My sweet Aprill, oh how I've missed you darling."

I returned the purr. "I've missed you to mom."

"Well, I'm glad to see that you are back together again." Professor chuckled.

My father smiled at Charles. "Thank you Xavier."

Professor bowed his head. "It was my pleasure Wilson."

Then I heard someone clap from the corner of the room. I looked over my mom's shoulder to see who it was. That is when I screamed. "Little lady," I don't know why I was screaming, it was just John. He got up from the chair and walked over to my mother and me. "Glad calm down, it's just me."

I took a deep breath, stepped away from mom and hugged John. "What are you doing here timer."

John laughed. "You and Freddy boy got me worried so I flow up here," Then he looked at my mother and father. "Then I ran into your parents at the airport."

To my surprise my father bowed. "Nice to see you again Jonathan,"

I looked from my father to John in wonder. "Wait you two know each other?"

My mother smiled. "Of course they do," She looked at John. "I think it's time to tell her Johnny."

"What," I looked at everyone in the room. "Tell me what?"

John sighed. "Gal," He griped my shoulders. "I'm your uncle, your mother's older brother. I was there when you were born."

My eyes narrowed, I looked from John and then to both of my parents. "This is a joke," I pulled away from John. "I know your funny John but…" But he frowned at me like I was breaking his heart. I shook my head. "But that can't be…that would make you…"

"Immortal," My mother finished and came from behind me, I looked up at her. "Yes dear, John, your uncle and my brother was the first to be tested by your grandfather's drug."

That was when everything clicked for me. "Wait, that's why you and dad didn't came to find me, you knew I was with my uncle and I would be safe."

My father nodded. "We followed you to Texas and found that you found your uncle and the boy that he was raising. You're mother and I wanted you to grow up safely and have a normal life."

"So," John smiled. "We talked and decided that you would be happier with me and the boy…" Then he trailed off for a moment and suddenly I saw how old, how immortal John really was. There was no white or grey in his black hair. His green eyes were filled with life and color. The rinkels that where in his face were gone, guess that he wore masks and makeup to make it look like he was ageing. Hell, his voice was not cracking of age, it was thick and deep. I mean if he was not my uncle and how many years older, I would flat out call him smoking hot. "Lil'" Uncle John asked. "Were is Fred anyway."

I sighed and looked at my family. "It's a long story."


	17. Chapter 16: The Big Games

Chapter Sixteen

The Big Games

"Aprill," Jean screams from behind my closed door. "Tigerlily, you're going to miss school come on already."

I sighed and finished putting my hair up in a ponytail. It had been a few weeks after I choice to leave the Brotherhood. My parents moved back into an old house of theirs on the outskirts of Bayville. As for John…I mean Uncle John, he moved into moved in with my parents for a month or two. He told asked me the whole story about Fred and what we had been up to. Of course my parents were there listening and they were disappointed to hear that I was with the Brotherhood. But they were not as mad as I thought that they would be, only just because I didn't know that I was working for the bad guys. John however, was very disappointed and not in me but in Freddy. It was sad to see my newly named Uncle stop the talk and step out into the wall.

My mother explained that John never was the dating type but he still wanted to raise kids. So when he took Fred from the streets and took full responsibility of raising him, it made my Uncle feel better about himself. It also seemed like John knew just as much a my parents when it came to the Brotherhood, this must be really hard for him. When he came back into the room, he walked over to me and gave to a big hug. He told me that I did the right thing by leaving the Brotherhood and that I shouldn't feel bad about leaving Fred there. I could hear it in his voice, John was very upset and my mother could hear it to. Before they all left the school a few days later in the first week, John told me that he was going to go and have a talk with Fred.

Still speaking of Fred, it was almost late November now (four weeks ago I joined the X-Men.) and none of the Brotherhood members were at school. It was really weird, no one saw a wink of them anywhere. There was no Silver the pick on Even, no Toad to steal Scott's glasses, no Lance that was flirting with Kitty, and not even Rogue to sit under the old oak in the court yard. But I think the weirdest thing for me personally was that there was no Freddy to talk to. I looked everywhere for him…but no matter where I looked, he was nowhere to be found.

I grabbed my school bag and opened to door so Jean could stop yelling. Her green eyes widened in surprise. "Wow, Aprill are you ok."

"Fine Jean," I said in a happy tone of voice but Jean knew me better than that. As I walked down the walls of the mutant school, my mind looked back on the day I walked away from the Brotherhood. Fred's sad, pained face in the window as he watched me go haunted my dreams. Do I feel bad about leaving…very day and now that I can't find him made me feel worse.

Jean was jumping the gun when she said that we were all going to be late. Within ten minutes or so we were at the school and I walked to my locker. I looked to my left, still no Brotherhood and then to my right…still nothing. With a sigh I opened my locker and got my books for my first class.

"There ya are sugar," A high pitched southern assented voice ripped through the silent air.

There was no one that was who I thought I could have been but, "Rogue?"

The next thing I knew she gave in a hug, making sure that her skin was not touching mine. "What the hell is wrong with ya," She pulled away and scowled at me.

My head cocked to one side. "What are you talking about Rogue?"

She backed handed my forehead gently with a gloved hand. "Ya had the heart to leave us, how could ya Lily?"

"Oh," I sighed. "That,"

"Yes that," She smacked her own forehead. "Tell her Lance."

I looked over Rogues shoulder to see the other Brotherhood members standing there. Toad didn't even look at me and for a moment neither did Silver, but it hurt to see that Fred was not with them. I sadly smiled at Lance. "You going to yell at me now shakedown?"

He shook his head. "The least you could have done is told us."

"Ya," It was Silver's hissed voice now, his light blue eyes dark with hate. "Why only tell that fat giant…"

"Don't you dare call him fat Pietro!" I snapped. "And the only way that he found out was because he knew me enough to know that I was up to something. If it wasn't for that, he wouldn't have known either." None of the Brotherhood call him Pietro any more, just Silver and I know when I called him by his real name…generally meant that I was pissed at him.

He snorted and got in my face. "I can call him whatever the fuck I want. Besides this isn't about him, at least he knows who the good guys are."

That was when I flat out laughed in his face. "You have got to be kidding me," I had to look away from his oh so serious face. "The Brotherhood are not the good guys."

Rogue looked at me like her feelings were really hurt. "But gal, what we do helps other mutants."

"Ya Rogue how," I looked at her and stopped my laughing fit. "By hurting and killing humans, other mutants in the process, you tell me how that's the right thing."

Lance stepped between me and Rogue. "We must do what we have to survive Aprill," He looked me dead in the eyes. "Humans will kill us when they knew of us, The Brotherhood won't give humans the chance."

I looked right back at him, not even flinching. "Humans and Mutants can live together in peace shakedown, there is no need for war."

A muscle quivered in his jaw, Lance was losing his temper. "Something will happen Tigerlily," He growled. "And the humans won't be peaceful about it, when that happens…we will be there to fight for all of Mutant kind."

I returned the growl. "And when…if that happens Lance, the X-Men will be there to stop the Brotherhood from killing human kind."

With that comment, they all gasped but I didn't care. I slammed my locker, turned on my heel and walked away. Just as I heard Silver or Rogue run after me, I ran into something myself. "Ooofff," I had walked right in someone and the person over toward me. Shaking my head and slowly looked up, "I'm so sorry, I wasn't…" My gaze finally meets his and I gasped. "Freddy," I whispered, stunned to see him at least. And my stunned state soon turned a shocked grief. Some way, somehow Fred changed. He seemed…older and stronger willed, even if the shadows under his brown eyes told me that he didn't sleep much. Without speaking, Fred gripped my wrist and pulled me down the hall. "Fred," I winced at the force that was being put into his grip. "Fred stop pulling me so hard…your hurting me." To my shock, those last three words didn't even make him flinch.

Soon, Fred had pulled me out of the building and to the same spot I found him with Jean. Not the saw mill but the part of school that was getting remolded. This time, there were no melt pips that could fall on any one and there were even a few small trees planted in the clearing. I looked around, remembering the last time that I was here. As I was doing this, I rubbed my wrist seeing for the first time that it was sprained. After my look around, I glared at Fred and stunned beyond reason. "What the hell has gotten into you, I mean look at this," I lifted my wrist for him to see. It was swollen, throbbing and a bright red. "Since when do you like spraining my wrist."

When he finally spoke, it had nothing to do with my wrist and he didn't even seem to take knottiest. "John came to see me," His voice seemed to have even dropped a few notes and to think his voice already deep enough. "You didn't tell me he was your uncle."

I looked at him, dumbfounded. "Wait this is why you dragged me all the way out here and sprained my wrist. Just so you could ask me if John was really my uncle."

"Just answer the damn question Lily!" Fred snapped.

"You're kidding me here," I snapped back. "You're really going to stand there and yell at me over this, what's the big deal."

"It is a big deal," He growled, his voice seemed to get even lower.

I raked my hair in frustration. "Oh for the love of Christ," My words came out in a hiss. "Yes Fred, he is my uncle so what?"

"He said some things," He huffed. "Brought some things up that didn't need to come out,"

I shook my head at him. "Unbelievable, your yelling at me because he sat you down and gave you a 'talk'?"

He crossed his arms over his chest. "He wants me to join the school."

I nodded, agreeing with my uncle. "And why don't you, it would be nice to…"

"Because I'm not like you Aprill," Fred sounded like his normal, kind self again. "I'm no goodie-goodie, no saint," He shook his head. "I'm not a good guy."

"Fred what are you talking about," I said, shaking my head. "You are a good guy, a good person. You…"

"Humans will kill us if we don't kill them first," And that statement hit home for me, as he continued I was shaking my head in despair. "There is no way they will make peace with us, ever."

"I can't…I…" I had no idea what to say. "You don't really believe,"

"I do," Fred answered with a curt nod. "And that's why I can't be an X-Men and because of what you believe…" He looked me in the eyes. "That you won't come back to the house."

That was when a knife got plunged into my heart. "The cabin…" He looked at me like I was crazy. "You said we'd fight if I joined…" We both sighed at the same time and looked at each other. "You won't join the X-Men."

"And you won't come back to the house."

I shook my head. "Then I guess we're screwed." After that I just couldn't help it, I cupped my face in my hands so that he didn't see me cry, Fred had told me so and I didn't listen. Even if I may have done the right thing, now we were enemies and it didn't look like there was any way out of that.

"Oh Lily," Fred whispered and I found myself in the circle of his arms. I shivered at the feel of his strange frame and the heat that rolled off him. His watery sent was the same watered pine and it made me smile. Pushing my face into his chest, I snuggled close to him. Somehow he managed to grip my sprained wrist and brushed his lips over the sprain itself. "I'm so sorry I hurt you Lil'."

"For a moment there," I sniffed. "I thought you didn't care, that you were so mad at me that my pain…that it didn't matter."

Fred rubbed his hand over my spine. "Your pain dose matter to me Lily. I let my angry with John get the better of me...and it was taken out on you. Again," He squeezed my shoulders. "I'm very sorry gal."

"I understand," Then I looked up into his face. "However, there is something I don't understand. What did you and John talk about."

He shrugged. "A lot of personal stuff, nothing important Lily."

"Oh," My head chocked to one side. "Anything to do with me?"

Fred shook his head. "No just my parents." I started to open my mouth to ask what they talked about but he pressed a finger to my lips. Sometimes, I hated it when he did that. "Really Aprill, it's not important and for the moment I really don't want to talk about ok."

I sighed, knowing that I wasn't going to win. "Ok, just let me know when you do want to talk about it."

"I hate gym, like I hate getting all sweaty you know." Kitty complained as she put her gym clothes on. It was the last period of the day and the last period to the new schedule change. As it turned out, right when I joined the X-Men the principle very ones class schedules. Thankfully, I didn't have any of my classes with any of the Brotherhood members and only with my fellow X-Men. However, this period Rogue was in the same gym class with me, Kitty and Jean. Rogue didn't say a word to any of us or any of the other girls, which was funny because we were four girls in there. None of us knew if any of the Brotherhood boys are changing in the men's locker room. However, we knew that Scott and Even were in this class with us. Other than that we had no idea who else was in this class.

I was the last one out of the locker room and to my utter shock; all the Brotherhood boys were in the gym. And when I say all of them, I mean all of them…even Freddy was there. Then what was even worse or maybe it was a good thing, was that no other students were in the gym. Besides the gym teacher, the whole gym was full of mutants.

However, I had to rethink my math because after looking all over the place, the gym teacher was nowhere to see. Sighing, I walked over to the other X-Men. "Hey Scott," I asked, walked up to stand beside him. "Where is the teacher?"

"That is what we're trying to figure out yo," Even answered for Scott, his arms were crossed firmly over his narrow chest. "My guess is that they," He gestured over the group of Brotherhood members. "Cut the tech loss, if ya know what I mean."

"Oh shut up Even," Kitty snapped. "Like, they may be evil and stuff but they wouldn't go that fair…" She looked at me. "Would they?"

I had it, balling up my hands I looked over at the other group. "Lance," The other X-Men flinched at my hateful tone but when I made eye contact with Lance, he did no such thing. In fact we both walked up to each other and scowled. "Where is the teacher shackdown, because if you want to start something with me then do it. But don't you dare drag very one else into it."

Surprisingly, Lance looked offended but I know him better, he was mocking me. "What me, start something Lily…why that is just curl." Then a cold grin came to his lips and I knew then I was facing Lance's angry. "No Aprill, let's just say that it going to a human free gym class."

"What are you talking about Alvers." Scott snarled from behind me.

The silence was cut by a whoosh sound and the next thing I knew a doge ball hit my side. Air got knocked out of my lungs as I flow to the side and landed hard on the ground. "Aprill," All the X-Men screamed and ran over to see if I was ok.

But I was just fine when I looked up and yell. "Who the hell through that!"

Toad was on the floor holding his sides, Rogue didn't even look at us and both Lance and Pietro had evil smirks on their faces. Soon I would have to figure out if me and Pietro were even dating anymore but for the moment that was not my concern. Slowly I rose to my feet and stared into the deep brown eyes of my best friend. He said that we would be fighting each other but I didn't think that it would be this soon or would happen at all. "So," I snarled half heartedly. "You want to take me on Blob?"

Everyone went silent, not even Toad stopped laughing. Everyone here knew that me and Fred are every close. So seeing what was about to happen would be something that none of them thought that either of us had. Sadly, Fred grinned and in an evil way. "Don't tell me your scared Lily."

I was going to hate myself later for saying this but Fred did start it. "I might be a little scared, after all fat boy…you could squish me." And yes I hated my whole being for saying that, it wasn't fair. No matter how stupid Fred was being, he didn't deserve that. By the look on everyone else's faces, they felt the same, even Scott. But in those silent few moments, it was just me and him, standing there and looking at each other. I could see it, Fred didn't see that coming and didn't think that I would ever say that. Those shocked, hurt feelings shined in his eyes and I knew fully then that he hated that we were on different sides.

Then those moments where over and the frustration and angry took over. Before anyone could move or Fred could even blink, I ran full speed and slammed into him. Fred was completely off guard and couldn't keep his ground. So I was able to push him back and slam him against the wall.

"Alright guys," Lance cheered. "Time to play doge ball." And just like that the other Brotherhood members started to through doge balls and my team mates. But none of them paid attention to me and Fred or did we to them. It was just me and him as I let him go and put a few feet between us.

Fred blinked as he pulled himself out of the wall. "Damn it," He creased under his breath. Opening his mouth wide, he moved it from side to side and loud pops fallowed shortly after. "Ohhh, dang it gal," Groaning as he finally put his eyes on me. "That really hurt."

I crossed my arms. "Oh and getting a doge ball punched into my side didn't hurt at all."

He spit on the ground. "Really," He took a step forward. "In that case," Then faster than I ever saw him move. Fred was able to come at me and grip my arm, a moment later I was falling in the air and was about to hit the fair wall. I was going to rebound off the wall but I guess Fred knew that I was going to do that. When I was just about to land square on the wall, another doge ball hit me. It was with so much force that I busted throw the wall and hit the next wall covered in lockers.

I gasped in pain as I fell hard to the ground. Everything was starting to get dark and fuzzy. I knew that I needed to stay awake, knowing that Fred was coming for me but I couldn't move. So, my eyes closed as heard the sound of my team mates screaming my name.


	18. Chapter 17:The Last Pieces of the Puzzle

Chapter Seventeen

The Last Pieces of the Puzzle

"Don't just stand there you fool," An old man's voice called. "Wake the girl, and let her see what is offered."

Suddenly there was a sharp pain on the side of my face, making my eyes fly open and see the man who cut me. Everything was fuzzy, in a daze, I looked around the room. It was all melt and cold, I could see out of the corner of the room tall glass tubes and people were inside them. Not wanting to look at the room anymore I looked back on the man who cut me. But I know who is was. "Creed," I hissed, my parents showed me pictures of Victor Creed, wanting me to always remember his face.

He smiled at me and could see his sharp canines. "Fisk," His hiss came in a deep growl. "Glad to see you awake."

"Where am I?" I growled back.

"My home, asteroid M," That old man's voice came from behind Victor, and to my horror, I also knew that face. "It's nice to see the immortal daughter once again, how are you?"

"M…Magneto," I shivered and tried to move away but I couldn't move, looking down I saw that I was chained to the floor. I glared back. "What the hell am I doing here!"

"Why, for judgment Aprill," Victor growled in my ear.

"How long have I been here." I snarled.

"Almost two days," Magneto answered. "And you can thank your loyal friend and…" But Magneto didn't have to finish, looking past him I saw more people standing in the darkness.

I saw a flash of silver. "Pietro," I whimpered and then a I saw a massive tall figure. "No…" Tears burned in my eyes and pooled over. "No, no please no."

"Yes," Magneto smiled. "My son and his friends took good care in bringing you here, my dear."

"Your son," I paused and groaned. "Maxinoff, I knew that last name was familiar." Then I gasped and when was going to speak, Magneto did it for me.

"Yes my dear, my son is a wonderful actor." His voice was so unnaturally even and calm.

My plea was not pointed at Magneto, it was pointed to where Silver was standing. "You mean you used me, pulled on my emotions just to bring me here," I choked on the emotions that were building in my throat. "You never loved me."

His sky blue eyes, the ones that I once loved were are hard as diamonds and it hurt to look in them for long. I was hoping that he would say something, anything at all to say that is father was lying, but he just stood there.

"Now," Magneto declared. "It's time to take the princess to her room and think about rejoining us," He turned in Silvers direction. "Blob," My tears were heavier then when I heard his codename, Magneto walked over to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "You can do the honors."

With no life in his face, Freddy nodded and walked over to me. I shook my head and tried with all my strength to move but there was no point. Soon Fred unchained me from the floor, I tried to move away then but Fred had a hard grip on the chains that bound my hands. With one jerk, Fred pulled me to his side and hissed. "Get moving." I couldn't believe what I was hearing, my best friend in the whole world helped hand me over to Magneto. I still didn't want to believe it when moments later, he dragged me into what looked like an underground dungeon. With a huff, he opened a steel door and throws me inside.

"Freddy!" I cried as he put the chain throw a small hole in the middle of the door and closed it. There was a little window on the top of the door where I could see his face. "Why, why are you doing this, we're friends. How could you do this?"

For a long moment, he just stood there and looked right through me. The way he looked at me made me feel cold and my mind wanted to really rethink who the man was before me. But I couldn't do that, he was still Fred, my best friend. However the monster that I saw in him the first day we came to Bayville School was back in his eyes again. So when he spoke next, it chilled my blood. "It…" He mumbled. "I…had no…no choice."

I got up from the floor. "Why, what happened."

But he didn't answer me, the only thing that he did was pull on my chains. In doing so he forced my body to be pressed against the door. What happened next, shocked me.

I didn't know what else there was to say, but to do what I was about to do…I was not expecting it. I warned her, told her not to leave and now this. I knew that if I didn't do what I was told, they would have hurt her or maybe just kill her. Why was it so hard to simply tell her…

Once my face was pressed to the small window, Fred did the most unexpected thing of all. _Why, why is he kissing me?_ Yes, I'm not kidding and it wasn't on the cheek either. His lips came onto mine and the warmth that came off them was heart stopping. I wanted to pull away, not understanding his meaning. But I couldn't, not only from the chain that was binding me but his kiss made me freeze. I was kissing him back, I didn't want to pull or move away…but why. He even managed to slip a hand throw the bars, slipping his fingers in my hair.

It was brief, and when it was over, Fred released the chains and took steps away from the door. "We can't be friends anymore," His voice cold and bitter but there was a small light of life in his face now. "I'll be back to get you, once lord Magneto wants to see you."

With out waiting to see what I had to say, Fred was walking away and soon gone from sight. My heart pounded so hard in my chest it hurt as I went down on my knees. "What the hell was that." I whispered, my fingers went over my lips and they felt warm. His last words hurt me, oh yes they did but the light that was in his face was the only thing that told me that he didn't mean what he said. I wondered if that also meant that he didn't mean what he just did either.

Hours and hours had passed it seemed and still no sign of anyone was coming. I sat there thinking, rethinking, and re-rethinking everything that has ever happened to me. After going through all that I could remember of my past with him, there was nothing that lead to the idea that he would flat out kiss me. _I don't love her, and if you want date her, be my guest. Maybe they are right, you do love me. _There seemed to be so many things that should have screamed yes, yes that he does. But he of all people should have known about going up to me, without warning and kissing me was wrong. _But, if I really wanted to be away from him in that moments, I would have fought harder. _

"But I didn't," I shivered. "It's like I…like I…" _Didn't want him to stop, break my chains and hold me._ I shook my head. "No, there is no way I'm crushing on him, why would I." However, the thoughts kept coming back and when I continued to push them back, they came back again. Sighing I leaded back against the wall and waited.

Meanwhile, the Brotherhood was gathered in the main room upstairs as Magneto talked to Scott Summers and his brother Alex. I stood in the shadows with my fellow members as I waited for Magneto's command.

Toad sneered beside me. "This is messed up yo," He looked up at Lance. "I mean, what we did to Lily…"

"Shut up Toad." Silver growled. "Aprill has what is coming to her, she shouldn't have left us."

Lance glanced up at me. "You seem to be taking this well." I grunted and didn't speak. I just wanted this be over, being here with Creed glancing over at us and Aprill waiting below for her judgment. I shivered, _Why, why are you doing this, we're friends. _I sighed, knowing that I had never been that forceful with her, so mean.

"Fredrick," Magneto calling my name snapped me out of my thoughts.

Clearing my throat, I stepped forward. "Yes sir?"

Lord Magneto turned away from the summer boys and glanced at me. "It's time, bring the princess above."

I only grunted and started to walk away from the group of Brotherhood members and the slow growing numbers of X-Men. On my way down I pasted Creed and he sneered mockingly at me. "Don't be down there to long with the woman, we still want her…" He licked his lips. "Intake and fresh."

I had to clench my fists tightly to my sides so that I didn't punch him in the mouth. But even then that didn't hold back my words. "Don't worry," I sneered back. "The brat will be in perfect condition." As I walked away, Creek was chuckling to himself and I felt sick. _I just called the woman I love a brat, what the hell is wrong with me. _ It was hard to think that all of this was happening to me. Also, it was hard for me say that I somehow enjoyed being evil. But would Lily like that…no, she was not into the whole being the bad boy that all the girls want. She's always wanted a gentlemen, an immortal prince.

Walking down the hall way, I had to take many deep breaths and tried to compose myself for what I was about to do. I just keep telling myself that I was doing this to keep her as safe as possible. I mean, I knew that if this got out of hand I would get her out of here. But I wished that it didn't have to be this way, if it wasn't for Creeds blood threats I wouldn't be so worry about Aprill. A little warmth came to my chest, my heart when I thought about what happened earlier. Maybe I made the move at the wrong time but at the time I really had no idea what else to do. Seeing her cry, defeated…it was not something I liked seeing happening.

Finally but sadly I made it to her cell and I took a deep breath I pushed all my emotions back. Now that I felt cold as stone, I took her chains in my hands. She must have felt that I was pulling on them because she got up and looked at me through the window.

"Freddy," She said brightly, to friendly tone of voice and I knew that I didn't deserve it. "You came back, please," She lifted her chained hands. "Let me go, you know this wrong don't you."

I opened the door and pulled her out of the cell. "We're not friends anymore Tigerlily," I growled and I hated myself for saying that. "Now pick up your feet, Magneto wants you." I was a little surprised when Lily didn't move, I looked back at her and I was shocked by the look in her eyes.

I snarled at him then. "I'm not moving Fred, not one more step." I was fed up with this, I made up my mind that there was nothing I could do. Fred was no longer the guy that I grow up with, and like he kept on saying…we were not friends anymore. It killed my heart to think that or even form those words but if I was going to get out of this alive, I no choice but to fight him. "You think that you can kiss me whenever you want to because your all bad ass now and then pull me around. No I don't think so."

He got in my face. "Don't fight me on this, Magneto wants to talk," He snarled back. "If you just cooperate, there doesn't have to be any fighting."

Even that my hands where chained together, I raised a fist and punched him in the jaw. I put every ounce of power I had in that punch. Stunned by my blow, Fred lost some grip on the chains and it was enough for me to pull them out of his hands. "Hey," Fred grunted but I already twisted the chains away from him and then swung them back, hitting him in the face. It was enough of a blow that he staggered and leaded against the wall in a daze.

I finally broke my hands free of the chains and throw them at Fred's feet. "That was for kidnapping me, beating me up in the gym and over all being a jack ass Blob." I sneered and walked away from him. I could not believe that I was really kicking his butt and hating his guts. But it was true, I hated him and I could not believe that I let him pull me along…to fool me for this long.

So I guess I was really pissed when he came up from behind me and griped me a massive bear hug. He growled in my ear. "Now that hurt, that really hurt gal."

I snarled as I struggled to break free. "Let me go you bastard!" I tried to high kick so I could try to hit his face. But I had trained with Fred a good part of my life and he knew right away what I was trying to do.

He walked forward as I continued to struggle. "You know that is not happening Lily."

"Don't you ever call me that ever again you…you freak!" I yelled and still tried to break away.

I got a little scared when he griped me tighter and I thought for a moment that he was going to kill me. He even stopped walking for a moment. "A freak…you going to call me that to Aprill?" I was stunned that he sounded like his normal self again and sounded so hurt by what I said.

And even if it hurt my heart, I couldn't let him fool me. "If you insist on being on ass then ya, being a freak is your new title." I sneered and hide any love for him as a friend, being a family member, and all the pain that came when I called him the one thing that I told him for years that he wasn't.

It hurt even more when Fred sneered and walked forward again. "So be it then."


	19. Chapter 18: The Battle

Chapter Eighteen

The Battle

Soon we were back in the large metal room that I awoke in and found that I was chained. Looking around, I could see who was all there. The professor, Storm, Jean, Scott and a younger blond boy who stood beside him and I had no idea who that was. Then I saw Magneto again and standing beside him was his son Pietro. Now that I saw the two of them together in the light…I saw how much they looked alike. What it really came down to was the silver hair, high cheek bones and paler skin. Standing a little away from them was were Lance and Rogue stood, but the look on Rogues face told me that she didn't like this anymore than me. Lastly of course was Victor, who stood in the shadows and licking his fangs at me. My skin crawled when Creed walked over to me and Blob and stroked my hair.

He grins. "Looks in perfect condition to me," Then he looks at Fred. "Maybe you can have your way with her later."

I snarl when at what he just said…someone, anyone to have their _way_ with me! The ever idea made me sick and to think…it came from Freddy's mind. _How could he do this to me, that sick, twisted liar!_ So when Creed reaches out for my face again with long, yellow, claw-like finger nails…I spit at him. "No one ever has their way with me you creep!"

Creed returns the snarl as he wipes the spit from his face. "Possibly, but when a man over powers you," He runs his claws under my jaw. "We can do whatever the hell we please."

I spit at Creed again and kick Blob as hard in the gut as could, knowing that it wouldn't work. "Wait until I'm free, then I'll rip that smirk off your face Creed…yours too fat head." I said lastly in an icy tone as I tried to high kick Fred in the jaw again.

He growls at me and grips me tighter. "We'll see about that your hotness."

I howl at him, because I know that _he knows_ that I hate it when someone calls me that. He's using the years of knowing me, being my best friend against me and that just made me feel worse. With my feelings hurt so badly, I don't care anymore about the words that came out of my mouth. "Oh don't worry fatso, when this is over you will be thankful you can even straw feed yourself." Then I grin and glance at him. "All though, that might not be so bad, after all…you've had a hard time losing weight."

He turned a beat red, in anger, embarrassment or something else I couldn't tell but I knew that he wasn't happy with me. Blob was going to reply, but Magneto stepped in. "Now, now you two," He says good naturedly. "We're all friends here."

I hiss at him. "Cut the bull crap Magneto, what is it that you really want?"

He smiles gently at me. "It's simple really, I feel just awful at how you left the Brotherhood my dear. So I re-give the invention to join us, after all." He looks from his son, to Lance, then Rogue and then lastly at Fred. "I hate to see ill feelings between you and your friends."

I snort. "The Brotherhood are not my friends…at least," I turn my head so I could look at Fred strait in the eyes. "At least not anymore, hope your happy Trucker."

He returns my steady gaze. "It doesn't have to be this way Lily, just listen to what Magneto is saying. Please…"

"No," I cut him off dryly. "No, I'm tired of listening to you and tired of hearing your begging." That got him and it looked like it really hurt him, but I really didn't care anymore. I loved him, my best friend…my family…my brother and all of that, all of the sudden was shattered. My heart was broken, and I didn't think that it was ever going to heal because…I have to face it, he was the only one who could heal me. And now without his special way of healing me…understanding me, I was on my own.

Turning away from those deep brown eyes, I looked back into Magneto's cold ones. "I'm not rejoining anything if it means fallowing your rules." Then I hiss. "With that being said, you'll have to kill me now right." But before he could answer, I look at the other X-Men in the room with me. "Now, to get off the topic of me, what the hell are my friends doing here."

"Oh," Magneto gave the others a once over. "They are here under another, different matter then you are my dear…"

"I swear, stop calling me _dear_, or you're not going to like your face in a few moments."

Victor licks his lips again. "She has guts, and a temper. I bet I know where she gets it from."

I snarl at him. "My mother, who kicked your ass a hundred times over, by the way."

"Aprill," That was when I heard Scott's voice for the first time. It was odd that he didn't say anything before and I looked at him like he was crazy. "Stop making a scene."

I really look at him then. "What the hell are you talking about Scott? You're not with Magneto are you?"

"Well," He sounds puzzled, unsure about what to say. "You see Tigerlily…"

"Oh for god's sake Scott, Magneto is evil. He has the Professor and Jean locked up behind you. What the hell do you think is going on here?" I almost snarl at him, but I held a lot of it back, because unlike the other people in the room that could hear me, Scott was my only friend.

He looks behind him for a moment. I can tell that Scott has know that the other X-Men had been in there the whole time but he doesn't seem to have take much thought into what was going on. Then the younger boy beside him shook his arm. "Come on Scott, you heard what Magneto said," He sounds like he has lived his whole life in Hawaii or some other tropical island. His tan skin sure as hell tells me that he has been surrounded by sun for a long time to. However, as I look more into his face I see that he looks a little like Scott. Sure, I have no idea what color Scott's eyes are and yet…the blond boy looks like a younger, blond Scott. It was really odd because there was no away Scott could have any living family. And yet…

"You there," I get the blond to look at me. "This sounds nuts coming from me but you look a lot like Scott."

He smiles at me. "Imagine that, I'm his younger brother, Alex Summers."

I looked back at Scott in surprise. "No way, after what you told me Scott. I thought that he was…"

"Me to," Scott says weakly, turning his red gaze on me. "But he's really here and alive, can you believe it Aprill."

I laugh softly. "I'm trying, I'm happy for you Scott…really I am."

Then the first time, I heard Silver's voice. "Can we please move on with this," He snarled and turned his ice blue eyes on me. "This bores me and I for one I'm tired of hearing her voice."

I return the snarl. "And to think, I kissed you, when you're nothing but sick slim."

This was not working, there had to be some way for me to get away from Blob, but how. There is no way that I'm hoping that he is joking, playing along to that he can find the perfect moment to let me loss. No, I knew that was not going to happen and if it did I was going to smack him again. Pushing that thought aside, I thought and thought about how he get away from him. Maybe Scott to could help but now he looks to confused to do anything for me. Or maybe Rogue could help me, but I didn't think so either. I had to create a distraction but with what or even how, I didn't know that either. However, a small idea hits me after a few moments. If Fred was using what he knows about me against me, then maybe I could to the same for him. But what could I do at this point, that I haven't already trying, that would make him let me go. Well, saying that I would re-join the Brotherhood would help but I didn't want to go there. If I said that I would re-join, who knows how Magneto would hold that against me. So back to what I was thinking before, what do I know about Fred that I would let me go. _Well…_there was one idea and I didn't really like it, but it was worth a try.

Clearing my throat softly, seeing that no one was watching, I turned my head up to look up at his face. I tucked my head under his jaw and he grunted in surprise at my sudden shift. He glances down at me, puzzled. "Can I help you gal."

"You know, I've been thinking," I say.

"Right," He answers, getting more interested.

I smile. "About what happened down stairs."

He raised a eyebrow. "What, about hitting me in the face." Replies Fred with another grunt.

My smile grows. "No, about that kiss,"

His eyes widen slightly then but doesn't do anything else to show how interested could be in what I said. "O..k" Fred answers softly and I can his heart rate skip a beat. This was so wrong, so sick and somehow…it really made me think, is he making this up or does he really mean it. Somehow, I don't think that he is making it up but what Victor said before, about having his way with me. If he does care for me, then it must be for my looks, just like all the other men on this planet.

Slowly I composed myself again and looked him dead in the eyes. "And I think…" I paused to add to the suspense.

"What," He whispered. "What do you think Lil'."

I moved slowly as that my face was close to his face and just like I thought, he loosened his grip on me. My lips were just when my lips were not even an inch from his, I whisper. "That I liked it, and…and I want more." Without waiting to see what he had to say, I slowly and gently press my lips to his. And for the next few moments, everything in the word around went out and all there was him. His grip on me tighten again but it was still not enough to keep me there if I moved away. I was wanting to get away from him, right that second moment, but I…I couldn't move, at least not at first. He froze me again and a lot of me hated how he was able to do it. I didn't want to think it…but maybe I wasn't just playing him. That I really…

Ok, time stop before something really bad happens. Slowly I pulled away from his lips and when I did, he whimpered. "Leaving so soon sweetheart."

I smiled softly and one fast motion, I kicked off his chest, flow over the heads of everyone in the room and landed a few feet away from the group. "Actually, ya it is time for me to go, sorry."

Victor was the first to walk up to me. "Ya, and you get messing with men's heart from your mother to." He snarled and right when he was going to pounce on me, a shadow slammed into Creed's side and pushed him to the ground.

"Don't talk shit about Samantha hair ball." A deep voice snarled.

I smile. "Wolverine!"

"Runt!" Creed snarled at Logan and started clawing at his back. As Logan howled in pain and started to fight back, I saw that they were coming out of the wood work. I saw Kitty, fling a high kick at Lance, Kurt and Even went after Silver and to my shock, Mystique came to stand right beside me.

I snarl. "I should kill you Raven."

She grins at me. "Likewise but it looks like we're on the same side for the moment."

"Hate Magneto to," I snort, not convinced.

Her grin widens. "After all I have done for him, I shouldn't have to prove myself to him."

I chuckled. "Ya, guess you have a point there."

"Don't be smart girl," Is all that Mystique says before she leaps forward and attacked Magneto. I moved my way throw the crowd of fighting mutants to find that Rogue was slowly started to Rogue, Scott and Alex were slowly removing my friends from the tubes. When I got a few feet in front of where they were working, "Aprill, behind you." Rogue yelled and I turned hard to my left before Fred could grip me.

I crouch low to the ground and snarl at him, waiting to see what he would do next. "That was low, sneaky up on a lady."

He growls at me. "And kissing me the way you did isn't shallow Tigerlily?"

"Like your any better jerk." I snapped at him. Building up energy in my legs, I lunged and tried to land a few kicks on his chest. Just in time, he raised his arms and blocked all the kicks. When that failed, I pushed off him, pushed off the floor when I landed and throw punches next.

Fred blocked my first five. "Face it, you can't get around me."

I snarl. "Ya, and you can't get around me," That was when he catch both of my hands in his and forced my feet to touch the ground. But unlike other times when his strength would make me fall to my knees…well that didn't happen today as I held my ground. Building up my strength in my arms and shoulders, I pushed back against him and put us in a stand still. We growled at each other, showing to the people around us as well as each other how strong we are. Other then Magneto and Raven, Logan and Creed, everyone else stopped to watch as Fred's arm muscles started to bulge. He pushed on me, making me finch slightly and as my arm muscles started to bulge in turn, I returned the push. I could feel the power and energy in the air between the two of us. The ground even started to crack and we even started to push each other into our own craters.

"I'm impressed." Blob managed a huff and even smiled.

I smirked. "Gal to hear it." In that moment, the power seemed to be to great and it pushed us a few feet apart from each other.

I'm about ready to slam my fists at Fred again when the whole place started to shack. I glance around to see Logan run at me. "What the hell is going on?"

"Aprill," He yells and runs faster at me. But it was too late, a sharp pain blossomed on the back of my skull and I started to crumple to the ground.

"Aprill," I yell and lung forward to get a hold of her before she hits the ground. I started to shack her. "Lily, Lily…Lily can you hear me, Aprill." But it was no use, she was out cold and I looked up to see that a large, metal pip had fall from the ceiling and hit her on the head.

That was when Logan was finally by Aprill's side, he flashed his claws at me. "Let Tigerlily go Blob boy."

It was easy for me to not follow what Wolverine wanted but after everything that just happened, I needed to hold her. Without looking at Logan, I scooped her up into my arms and hugged her. _I'm sorry Aprill, so…so sorry. _I wanted to say it but this was not the time nor the place. Speaking of place, it was still coming down and it was time to leave. Not thinking about the others in the room, I ran out and worked my way out. I just needed to get Aprill out…needed to make sure she was ok. Even if when she wakes up…she will hate me again.


	20. Chapter 19: Falling Apart

Chapter Nineteen

Falling Apart

I slowly opened my eyes to find myself surrounded by warmth. With a grunt I slowly got up and found that I was inside the infirmary in the mansion. It was dark and no one was in the room with me. I looked up at the clock on the side of my bed and found that it was a few minutes away from midnight. Stretching, I found just how sore I was, especially when I rolled my neck it made a lot of loud pops and cracks. "Ouch," I grunt softly and sniffed the air, there was no free scent in the air. "Well," Rolling my eyes. "It looks like I've haven't been visited."

"Wrong on that one," I looked over to see John or er…my uncle. He smiled at me. "How you feelin gal?"

I sigh. "Fine," Then I shudder. "John there's something I need…"

He raised a hand to stop me. "I know gal, know all about what Fred did…"

"What!" I almost yell. "How…"

"He told me himself and ya know what gal, ya shouldn't be so hard on him." John cuts in.

I look at him like he was crazy. "Uncle, what the hell are you…"

All of the sudden, the world around me starts to go out and the last thing I see is my Uncle and what he is saying. "He loves ya, ya know little lady, be nice…"

This time I woke up with a start and I wasn't surrounded by warmth this time…it was cold, very cold. I slowly sit up and see that Logan is kneeling beside me. "Logan…"

He pushes me back down on the blanket. "It's ok Tigerlily, very thing is fine now."

"What happened?" I asked.

Logan frowned. "Dukes get you out of that place like mad hell but…"

My forehead creased in confusion and wonder. "But what Wolverine?"

"HE'S GONE!" I looked over to a small hill of snow to see that other Brotherhood members standing there. It was Lance who yelled and was shooting evil glances at me right and left. "One moment, he's saving your ungrateful ass…the next he is nowhere to be found."

My eyes widen slightly. "Oh come on Lance, it not like…"

That's when Silver came up from behind Lance, he looked like he had been running a lot recently. "No sign of him Avalanche, do you think Magneto took him."

Lance sighed. "I don't know Silver, but where ever Blob is…he better be ok."

"Since when do you care about him Lance?" I growl at Lance even if I was still really mad at Fred, I shouldn't be defending him and yet…he was missing.

"I don't," He growls at me. "It's that he's the true muscle of this group and we need him." And I really couldn't argue with him on that note. Of course that was true, Fred was the strongest member of the Bayville Brotherhood, at least now that I'm not with the Brotherhood. But even then, Fred had plenty of moments to prove to everyone, including me that he was stronger than me.

Jean cut in between me and Lance. "Um guys, in case you haven't noticed, we're in the Arctic and it's not healthy for us to just stand here in the cold."

"You're right Red," Logan grunted. "It's time for us to go home."

As Logan started to wrap me in the blanket and pick me up, I started to panic. "But aren't we going to try and find Freddy."

It was Scott who answered me. "Why does it matter Aprill, he's not our problem and besides, your mad at him aren't you."

"Yes, but…"

"No buts." Logan growled. "We can't stay here anymore and where ever Blob is, I'm sure he's fine."

Life really just slowed down for me, the world just kept on turning and didn't seem like it was going to slow down. Days turned to weeks and those weeks suddenly turned to two months. It was weird going to school or fighting with the Brotherhood without see Fred surround. The Brotherhood stopped looking a few days ago, now that two months have passed. Even the X-men were keeping their eyes open for him but they stopped looking when the Brotherhood did. As for me, well maybe I stopped looking for him starting on this December day. Ever one keeps telling me that it really only has been like a month with Fred missing but it felt so much longer than that.

My parents and Uncle John were even looking for him, but it was only John who was really trying to find his lost son. Mother even called me to the mansion that they were staying at to talk to my Uncle.

"He's just not doing well sweet heart." My mother explains. "You're father and I have tried to get through to him but he's seems so depressed right now."

I sighed, John wasn't the only one that was upset set that Fred went missing. "Has he ever come out his room mom?"

My father beside my mother in the kitchen shook his head. "No, we've had to bring all his food up for him but your mother is sure that he's not eating much."

That's when my mother started to softly cry. "I don't know how he got that liquor," Liquor, I thought in my mind. "But I don't think he's been sober in days, and that's not like him, my brother isn't a drunk…"

"Mother…" I stared at my strong, confident mother and ever once had I ever seen her cry.

"Samantha," My father came up to stand right behind her and embraced her. "There, there darling, it's all right. Jonathan will be fine you'll see."

Mother buried her face in father's chest and continued to cry. "Oh Wilson…"

Dad patted her hair and then looked down at me. "Be a good girl my lamb, help your uncle."

I only nodded and walked out of the room. Never in my life had I ever seen my mother cry or my father look so hopeless. I never really thought that so much grief could come from Fred's disappearance. Don't get me wrong, I was worried about him to, but I didn't think this much sadness could come out of this.

I finally made it to my uncle's room and I hadn't even opened the door when the smell of liquor him me. I coughed, it was so strong and it made my head hurt like crazy. Taking a deep breath, I knocked on the door. "John, timer it's me Aprill…can I come in."

At first there was no answer and heard the shatter of glass. "Uncle…" I knocked on the door again. "Uncle John please open the door…"

That's when the door open and I never wanted to see my uncle like this. Wearing only his boxers, he looked chalk white, and sweating like he had a very high fever. His black hair was in knots, his green eyes dull and bloodshot, and he hasn't shaved in a few days. My uncle leaned into the door frame with his left arm and in his right hand was the liquor bottle.

"John…" My heart was broken at the sight of him. I wanted to hug him in that moment but I really didn't know what to do.

He looked at me in a daze. "Lily…" John reached out of touch my face with the bottle still in his hand. His eyes shined with unshed tears. "Aprill...what, what ares ya doin here?" My uncle managed to slur together.

I swallowed. "Mom and dad wanted me to talk to you." I reached up to touch his hand that was on my cheek. "We're worried about you."

A hiccup raised in his throat. "Oh really," He took his hand away from my face and took a swig from the bottle. "I'm a grown man now, Samantha should mind her own…own damn business."

I shook my head. "John, we…I just want to help you."

"Well," He growled at me. "I don't need help," he hiccupped again. "What's wrong with wanting to be left alone."

"I love you John," I had to bite back my tears. "Please, I miss him to and I just want to help you."

He took another swig, which finished the bottle and through it over my shoulder. It shattered on the far wall and my uncle started to sway. "I don't…want help, I can…I can…" John let out a loud belch, making me cover my nose at the wave of liquor smell and then he fell foreword.

"John," I half scream as I catch him and try to hold him steady. That was when I heard him softly cry to himself, he pushed his face into my neck and weakly hugged me.

"Aprill…" He burped against my neck. "I'm…I'm sorry." That's when he fell limp against me and passed out.

"Aprill," I looked up to see my father running up to me. "Aprill are you all right, I heard a crash."

I felt a tear go down my cheek. "It's ok dad, I'm alright."

He joined me with my sleep drunk uncle and sighed. "Here, let me help get him to bed."

It was ten thirty at night and my father called the school to tell them that I was spending the night. John was in his bed knocked out and I was sitting in a chair by his bed side. I got so bored that I cleaned his whole room and finished reading two books. My father on the other hand was in the room with me and was pacing.

"Dad," I say slowly. "Why are you pacing, it's a little nerving."

He sighed. "Oh I'm sorry honey. It's just I've never seen your mother and uncle like this."

I shrug. "Well I guess Fred means more to John then I thought."

"Yes well," Father smiled. "As you know, John has never married and just doesn't want to. However, he's always wanted to have children. So when he found Fredrick on a road side one night and took him in…well, he's like a son to your uncle my flower, of course he would be upset."

"Daddy," I start to ask. "Is it ok if I sleep in here with John tonight?"

He chuckled lightly. "Sure sweetheart, I know you'll keep him out of trouble." With that, my father walked over to me, kissed me on the cheek and stepped out of the room. I sighed when the door closed behind him, then I got up and crawled into bed with my uncle. It was weird; I've never curled up against John in almost ten years. At first, he didn't have a room for me to stay in so he set up a small bed for me to sleep on. But I just couldn't sleep, I would climb up onto John's bed and poke him in the chest. _"John…John wake up."_

_He opened his eyes slowly. "What…"John grunted and then saw me there. "Oh Aprill, it's just you…what's the matter?"_

_I whimpered. "I can't sleep, I'm too scared."_

"_Oh you poor thing," He smiled gently at me. "Here, you can sleep with me tonight, I'll keep the monsters away." I giggled and at once I curled up on top of his chest. He laughed. "You're such I silly girl." _

I smiled lightly to myself and laid a hand on his chest. At first, I just started to think about what I was going to do about this. There had to some way to find out where Fred was being held but…I really had no idea.

"Nightmares again little lady," I opened my eyes and looked up into deep green ones. "You haven't had one in few years."

"John…" I started to say but he cut me off.

"Listen sweetheart," He said softly. "I'm…I'm sorry about earlier, you shouldn't have seen that."

I sighed. "We all miss him John," Then I give him a huge. "Just please, no more drinking."

He closed his again and smiled gently. "Don't have to ask me twice gal, hangovers are horrible." I giggled, snuggled against him and closed my eyes.

I didn't go to school for the next few days but when I finally went back, things were strange. Everyone seemed excited about something, all the girls were whispering about some bad boy and all the guys talking about a new hot girl at school. The only people who weren't talking about these new people were the Brotherhood and X-Men. However, on my first day back I didn't see anyone new, Lance said that they didn't have any new members and neither did the X-men. It wasn't until Friday day when I heard that the new students were at school. Once again, I didn't see anyone new and by this point I decided that people were losing their minds.

Jean came up to my locker at the end of school and smiled. "How was your day Aprill, you ok."

I return the smile. "Ya, but I have too much homework."

"I know, say why don't we get together and do math homework." Jean asked me as I shut my locker and we started walking down the hall.

I nodded in agreement. "Sure, I hate doing math homework. Say, do you still need help with those history questions."

"Yes I do, can you help me with those?" My playfully pleaded with me.

I smile. "Sure, no problem."

We were getting closer to the front entrance when I smelled it. I stopped dead in my tracks and took a deep breath. Jean gave me a worried look. "Aprill, what is it?"

My eyes widen. "I smell smoke…"

Jean looks really worried now. "You mean there is a fire in the school."

I shook my head and slowly start forward. "No, like…like someone is smoking." Slowly I walked out the mine doors and looked around. At first I didn't see anything but I still smelled the cloves of smoke. It was really strange, there was no smoking on school grounds and no one ever smoked at school. And yet, I could still smell it and I was every fresh in the air. Slowly I continued forward to the right side of the walk way outside, in front of the school. As I got closer to the brushes and tree where the school path meet the sidewalk, I heard voices.

"Where did you learn to be so bad." A dark, gloomy girls voice came first.

"Oh, I have my ways baby girl." This time, it was a guys voice. A very deep voice and just as gloomy as the girls voice, however...there was something about his voice. I knew that voice but I really didn't want to believe who I thought it was.

I continued forward and the two continued to talk. The girl's voice sighed. "Yes you do have your ways. Why don't you kiss me?"

The guy chuckled. "I wouldn't kiss a girl with smoke on my breath sugar."

I finally got to a point near the brushes where I could at least see the girl. She was about my age, pale and has short black hair. Her eyes were a dark blue hazel and her lips were painted a very deep red color with them out lined in black. A large, silver rose hang around her neck. It would have been a very pretty necklace if it wasn't for the fact that it looked like there were drops of blood on it. With heavy makeup and wearing gothic punk cloths, she was clinging to the guys side and wrapping her leg around his waist. "Come on baby, just one kiss, please."

"Well…" That was when I got a good look of the guy and I stood there frozen. He too was wearing gothic punk cloths, a nose ring and plenty of chains on his belt. His hair was in a blond Mohawk with the ends of his hair dyed red. He is massive beside the girl that was groping him. And of course in his massive free hand was the cigarette. I also noticed that he was wearing a lot of jewelry to, silver onyx rings on his hands and a matching onyx bat around his neck. Then I saw his eyes…

I fully stepped around the corner and gaped at him. "Freddy…"


	21. Chapter 20: What The Hell

Chapter Twenty

What the Hell

He looked at me lazily. "Oh, it's you Tigerlily," Raising the cigarette to his lips, he inhaled calmly. "What do you want?" He finished says through thick smoke.

The girl looked at me through narrow eyes. "Who's the snob my dark prince."

The 'Dark Prince' shrugged and took another breath from his cigarette. "Just another one of those X-geeks sweet heart."

I got on the defensive. "Who the hell are you calling a snob? At least I look like I didn't get dressed in the dark this morning."

The girl sneered at me. "Oh and I'm sure that waist long hair is a fashion statement. What guy in the right mind would want a girl like you?"

I growled. "Why you ugly…" I was so going to finish, but Fred stepped between me and the girl and pushed me back.

I landed a few feet away from the two of them and landed on the ground hard. "Don't you dare talk to Wanda like that X-Men," He growled at me and I slowly got to my feet. "No one talks to my beautiful girl like that and lives."

My eyes locked with his when I was standing. "Fred, where have you been? Do you have any idea how worried we have been about you?"

He snorted and light another cigarette. "Where I've been is none of your business Tigerlily, and like I give a damn about what you feel."

"Are you out of your mind!" I scream. "Since when do you dress like the walking dead, have a dead looking girlfriend and smoke."

Fred snarled at me. "You bitch." In one fast motion, Fred back handed me in the face with all his strength. I landed on the ground hard again only this time, blood was dripping to the ground. My jaw was broken and even some of my teeth. I knew that they were all going to heal back together but it was still a complete shock. I looked back up into Fred's hard eyes. "What did I say about talking to Wanda like that?"

I shivered when he started to advance on me. "Freddy, what are…"

I heard a 'shing' sound and opened my eyes to see three melt claws by Fred's throat. "Back down Blob boy before I crave your throat like a pumpkin."

"Logan," I whispered weakly.

Fred glared at Wolverine. "Well, well someone is out of their cage early."

Logan snarled. "And someone is out of their mind, when did you ever strike Lily." He was trying to get Fred to see what he just did but the look on Fred's face said that he still didn't care.

"I just slapped a bitch for talking trash about my girl," Fred turned away from us. "Got a problem with that?" And he didn't wait for us to answer; Fred simply walked back into the bushes and started making out with his girl.

"I'm sorry Aprill but…" Logan started to say as he worked on my jaw back at the school.

"Ouch, Logan that hurts!"

"I know girl just hold still,"

"Ouch, Logan…"

"Just one more twist girl and…" Like Logan said he twisted my jaw back in place once more and got it to stay.

"Ouch!" I howled.

"There I got, how does that feel Lily?" Logan asked with a smile.

I sighed and rubbed my jaw. "Ya, it's fine Logan thanks." I really didn't want to think about myself right now. All that came to my mind was the new and improved Fredrick Dukes. Where could he have gone, what had he gotten into to turn out like that. I was very worried about my uncle now, how would John took it if he saw Fred like this. God, it would just crush him.

Logan shook his head. "Listen, don't think about that jerk ok."

"Where did he go to turn out like that…to get a girl like that?" I asked softly.

"Well," He shrugged. "I don't know kid but I do know one thing." Logan took the seat next to me in the infirmary. "Professor sent me out to the school to see if a new mutant was going there."

I looked at Logan oddly. "You mean…that girl."

He nodded. "Ya, Wanda, Wanda Maximoff."

"Maximoff..." I looked at Wolverine in shock. "You mean, Maximoff as in…"

Logan was still nodding. "Pieto's twin sister."

"And Magneto's daughter," I added and somehow became more shocked. "How…why…"

"Who knows kid." Logan snorted. "But then again, I don't really care what that boy does."

I wish that could make two of us but I was really worried about what could be going through his mind. "I don't know Logan, it's just what happened at Asteroid M…he kissed me. So I thought that he…"

He shook his head. "Maybe, but honesty Aprill I think that Blob was just messing with your head."

"And then I had to kiss him…"

"You did that to get away from him. But then again," Logan rolled his eyes. "There could have been better ways to handle that."

I shook my head. "That moron, what is he trying to prove, walking around with Magneto's daughter?"

"Well, at least we don't have to waste time trying to find him." Even yawned and stretched out his arms. We were all gathered outside for lunch the next day at school. All of us were in the same agreement but it was still chilling that Fred broke my jaw with no real reason. I guess we could all agree that he has became very violent.

Kitty tapped her nails on the table. "This is really messed up, like majorly whack."

"Yes well," Kurt shrugged. "What is there to be done, Blob is not our problem."

Scott snorted. "Well, at least for the moment."

"Oh come on Scott," Jean nudged him in the shoulder. "You make it sound like he killed someone."

He turned his red gaze to me. "He seemed like he was close to doing it yesterday."

I shook my head. "You guys are going crazy, besides, he's not even here today."

Even nudged my shoulder. "You sure about that bro," He pointed over our shoulders and I looked to see that Fred really was here today and was walking into the cluster of trees. "Looks like he's stopping for a smoke I guess."

I couldn't help it, I hit Even on the arm lightly and stood up. "Oh shut Spike."

"Ouch," He complained as I walked away from them. "What did I say?"

Nothing, Even really did nothing wrong but them just talking about Fred like that made me sore. Why, I really wasn't sure. I was still not happy with him about what he did back at that Asteroid and now that he was dating the daughter of the master of magnetism. I should have asked Logan what Wanda's powers were but I really didn't want to ask or put much thought into what they could be. It also sucked that by the look of it Lance lied to me about him having a new member in the house.

Oh well, Lance and me weren't friends so I guess he isn't entitled to give me anything. Slowly I walked passed everyone in the court yard and into the cluster of trees. There was someone however that I think could give me some answers but it was up in the air. As I got closer, smoke was filling the air and it burned my nose. I had to blink my eyes a few times to keep them from watering. I finally got to where I wanted to be and he really looked no different from yesterday. Still wearing some type of gothic punk cloths, the silver onyx jewelry and nose ring, the blond hair dipped in red and the cloves of smoke surrounding his face.

He was leaning against a oak tree and he somehow saw me first. "Well, well look whose back."

I hold my chin up with pride. "Skipping class I take it."

Fred huffed and even gave me a smile. "Like you give a damn, speaking of you…" His brown eyes found mine then. "How's your face feeling?"

I scowl. "Fine, Logan fixed it nicely."

He smirked. "Good, for a moment there I thought that I ruined your chance with the guys."

"What do you mean?" I eyed him closely.

"Well, if your face got messed up, the boys would stop coming. And I would hate to see you lonely." Fred answered lazily and placed the cigarette to his lips.

I blinked at him. "Wait hold on, are you implying that I enjoy being…stoked."

He raised an eyebrow at me. "Was that not clear enough for you?"

"What the hell…" I gasped. "What the hell is wrong with you? When did you become such an ass?"

"Nothing is _wrong_ with me Mrs. Immortal." The smirk was growing on his lips. "And I think you've called me an ass for years."

I took a deep breath. "Fred, in all seriousness, where did you go?"

He blow out of cloud of smoke and I coughed. "Didn't I answer that already?"

"No," I shook my hand in front of my face to try and clear the air.

"Well," He snorted. "I'll put it this way so that you don't forget it. After M, I took a little vacation, thought some things out and found my girl."

I shook my head. "Vacation, from what?"

Fred really smiled then and it was a very mean smile. "Away from people like you, especially you. I finally saw just how soft I was getting in trying to make you happy. And when I let the thought of keeping your sorry ass safe go," Another cloud of smoke surrounded us. "Well, you can see how that's turned out."

"Ya, it's turned out pretty horrid." I retorted. "What about John, do you have any idea how worried you've made him."

"Greatly," He replied in a neutral tone. "But then again, I still don't care."

I shook my head. "He got very drunk because…"

And to my shock, Fred actually laughed at me. "Really, the old man finally loosened up."

"Fredrick," I yelled at him. "I'm being serious,"

He slowly stopped laughing on his own and looked at me with a lop sided grin. "So am I Aprill…"

"Is that any way to talk to the man who raised you? He loves you like you were his own flesh and blood." I bit back my tears, I was not going to give Fred the satisfaction of seeing me cry.

"And I'll give the old man that much," Fred replied softly for the first time in a long time and slowly stepped away from the tree. "But I don't need to hold his hand. Just like I don't need anyone to hold mine," With that, Fred turned and started to walk away from me. "See you on the battle field X-Men."

I wanted to go after him and kick his ass but, his words held me in that spot. They made my feet frozen to the earth and now that he wasn't looking, a single tear fell down my face. I think now, out of all the other times in my life that I thought I was going to lose him, right now I truly knew that indeed I lost him.


	22. Chapter 21: A Strange Merry Christmas

Chapter Twenty-one

A Strange Merry Christmas

It started snowing in Bayville weeks ago, but with what happened with Magneto, to then worrying about Fred and then finding him. Well, I was just way too busy to really look at the weather. Now, three days away from Christmas eve, the whole mansion was buzzing. Even my family came to spend the holidays with us. John was a lot better now, even if I was still worried about him. About a week after my last calm talk with the gothic punk Fred, I had to sit my uncle down and tell him the news. Don't get me wrong, he was very glad to hear that Fred was alive and safe. However, the whole gothic punk look, breaking my jaw and smoking didn't settle with my uncle well. I was told later that my uncle finally got up and went to talk with Fred. But unlike last time, I didn't get a pissed off Fred the next day, spraining my wrist and demanding answers. No, the fact is that I never speak to him much anymore. Of course I see him every day at school with Wanda on his arm and sneaking way for a smoke. But in the end we never talk to each other expect the times when where fighting on the battle field.

But I don't even want to count those times at all. We are always spitting mean words at each other and beating the blood out of one another. I guess at first I really missed him coming up behind me to sneak a bear hug. Missed the way he would be the first to come after me to make me feel better. Or to just sit down together and just…talk. I just relived a few days ago that out of all this that my birthday was on the eighth of November and I turned sixteen. Fred was still missing at the time and very one was looking for him. Even my parents didn't remember that it was my birthday until they gave me a birthday cake the week after. More recently other people at the mansion were remembering and were giving me really late presents. Even remand guys at school were giving me gifts now. When Duncan presented his gift, I saw in the crowd of people over his shoulder the Fred was standing there. He had a smile on his face, an evil one as he mouthed, _Glad you're not lonely, _and then he walked away. I knew what he meant, about his reference to me enjoying the fact that I was being stoked. Fred must have been the one who told the school that it was my birthday in know what the guys would do.

Scott offered to blast Fred through a wall for me but I told him no. It would do no good for Scott to blast Fred and we both knew that. However, I did leave him a slice of birthday cake in his locker the next day with a note saying, _Thanks for remembering my birthday, too bad you missed the party._ And in the end I guess I was glad in some way that he remembered it had been my birthday. I just wish that it could have been a much nicer gift coming from him. Fred never said a word about the cake in his locker, so I guess that he just throw it out and didn't think twice about it.

Today my mother and father moved into a master bed room in the mansion and were setting up for the holidays. So when I say that they I master bed room, I mean that they are staying in a living room size room. Well, I didn't know that the Professor had a room that big and my parents where even give him at least a hundred dollars a day for their stay. Anyway, my parents took me out into the woods to find a Christmas tree. So we put on our warm tree hunting cloths and hiked it up the woods. With my father in the lead and me shortly after, Mom was take a millions pictures.

"This is our first Christmas as a family in years," My Mother explained. "And when we get home Aprill, we are putting a scrap book together."

My Dad laughed heartedly. "Oh Samantha you are such a delight."

I laughed with him and jumped off the ground, flipped over his head and landed in front of him. "I bet I can find a tree first daddy."

He smirked at me. "Oh really young lady?"

I nodded. "Yes really, the first one to find a tree gets to put the star on top of it."

My mom was shaking her head. "Now Wilson, you're really…"

"You're on!" Father declared.

I smiled and turned in the form a silver wolf. "Good luck daddy." I growled, turned and started to run down the path that we were on. This was really nice, I've never had this much fun with my family in a very long time. And being able to do this kept my mind off of how much I truly missed Freddy. After a few yards, a massive saber-tooth tiger caught up with me.

My father smiled. "Having fun sweet heart?"

I barked. "You bet father."

"Hey no fair you two," A white mass shot over our heads and a beautiful snow leopard was now running in front of us. "Leave me behind will you."

Daddy purred affectionately. "I'd never leave you behind darling."

I brushed my pelt with my mother's. "I love you mom."

She licked my face. "I love you to Aprill."

And with that, I broke away from my parents and really started to find a tree. At first, it was harder than I thought to find the perfect one. Some just didn't smell right, while other just weren't the right classic shape. As the sun was going down in the sky and fresh snow was falling, I think I finally found the perfect one. Standing at least ten feet tall, a beautiful green color and smelled rich with pine and when I was sitting in front of this tree my heart sank. The pines…why do evergreens smell of pine, no, why dose Fred have to smell like a Christmas tree. Even now when I always smell clovers on his skin, that strong watery pine scent came. Still the same smell of home and now the same smell of my childhood Christmases. I sighed and with a heavy heart I let out a long wolf howl. Soon after my parents were bursting out of the trees and turning back to normal and I followed by soon after.

"Merry Christmas everyone," Kurt exclaimed the day before Christmas Eve.

Kitty hit him over the arm. "It's not Christmas yet Kurt."

"Well," Even started to say as he loaded his bags in the trunk of his parent's car. Today was the day that a lot of the students were leaving to spend time with their families. Even was going to his home in New York and was taking Kurt with him. Kitty was also going home and the same thing with Jean. It was just me, Scott and a newly joined Rogue who were staying home. Ya, I really was not paying attention the last how many weeks. So much that I didn't even notice that Rogue finally felt the Brotherhood and joined the X-Men.

But then a few hours later, Scott and Rogue went out on the town didn't come back till Christmas day. So it was just me, the professor, Logan and my family. That night, we all sat down for dinner and went to bed all the same. Christmas Eve was a little brighter the next day. They each let me open for gift from each of them. That was not really custom but none of really minded. My uncle got me some photo albums for all those pictures that I had been taking. My parents each gave me an encyclopedia on groups of animals. And between the Professor and Logan they go me a new uniform as an X-Men.

But then my father walked back in to the room after going to get some hot chocolate. In his hand was a small, black with spider web ribbon, rectangular box. My father looked at me oddly. "This was on the door step outside and your name is on it Aprill."

I took the box from my father. "Really," I turned the box in my hands, it wasn't that heavy at all. It didn't burn my skin or anything and didn't look like it was going to blow up. It's when I sniffed it that my eyes started to widened. "Faint cloves and pine,"

Very one in the room looked at each other in confusion. "What are you talking about Lily." Logan was the one to ask.

Without answering, I slowly opened the gothic paper and slowly opened the white box underneath it all. And inside the box, laying in a bed of dark purple velvet was a silver rose necklace. It was the same one that I saw Wanda wearing, even down to how there were speckles of red over the flower. Then I saw the small note beside the necklace. I unfolded the paper and read what it said, _Thanks for the cake gal, and have a Merry Christmas._ I smiled at the gift in my lap and felt tears run down my face. "You're welcome," I whispered. "You moron."

The next day I stayed up until midnight looking out over grounds of the mansion from my room. The land was so pretty, all covered in snow and the gothic rose hung heavy around my neck. Everyone was not to happy that I choice to wear Fred's surprise gift. I just couldn't believe that out of all of this, he went out of his way to get me this. But why, gothic was not really my favorite fashion sense and it was just like the one that Wanda wears all the time. Even with all that being said, there was something really special about the necklace that I couldn't place. It felt nice to feel it lay in the hallow of my throat and reminded me just how much I missed him. I thought I could live without being reminded that I miss him but this was a good reminder.

I sighed and touched the rose. "Thank you Freddy," I whispered to the snow.

The clove smell hit me before the voice. "I didn't really think you'd wear it."

I looked down and saw a formally gothic figure. "You moron."

He smiled at me. "That's not nice, after all the work I did to get that to you."

My eyes narrowed slightly. "Can I ask why you did give this to me?"

"Nope," He said as he started to light a cigarette.

I roll my eyes. "If I did would you answer me?"

Fresh cloves of smoke filled the air. "Depends,"

"Depends on what…" I ask slowly and raise an eyebrow.

Fred smirked. "If you ask the right question."

I blinked at him. "What do you mean by that?"

He looked up at me and strait into my eyes. "There is very good reason why that was given to you and even why you're wearing it now. But I'm not going to stand here and tell you the real reason why. That little X-Men is something for you to figure out."

I got frustrated with him now. "Then why did you come, we're not friends anymore and by the look of it, you hate me to bits."

"Looks like it will take a while," He sighed. "Figures, you were never that quick to figure something out."

I snort. "Oh and your one to talk smart guy?"

He laughed and for once it was a good laugh. "You got me there," Then he slowly started turned away. "Well, time for me to go."

I bite my lip and made a quick diction. "Freddy," I called out to him.

He stopped walking but didn't turn to look at me. "What."

I jumped from my window, flow over until I was in front of him and hugged him. "Thank you, really, I love the rose."

Even if I was hating the smell of the smoke on him, I still smelled the pine scent. And I also still felt warmth when, to my surprise, he hugged me back. "You're welcome."


	23. Chapter 22: Care to Dance

Chapter Twenty-Two

Care to Dance With New Students

There was still snow on the ground in early February and all of us were really eager for spring to start. My parents had to move back to Oregon sadly but my uncle choice to sell the rally in Texas and live the nearby mansion. And I loved him even more for his choice, even if it was really sad to see him in that big house all by himself. I do my very best to visit with him quiet often and he loves it when I stop by. But he would love it even more if Fred would come to visit John with me. However, it's still the same old thing. After Christmas night, everything went back to normal at school. Fred never talked to me and if he ever did was to chow me out. I still don't know what he means when he said that there were good reasons why he gave me the gothic rose and why I wear it. The only thing that I came my mind for him to tell me that he was still my friend somehow and then I wear it because…well I haven't gotten that fair yet.

Anyway, the school is now open to new mutant students and oh wow there are so many. There was a blond girl who could make energy bombs, and they look like marbles. One could make fireworks, one could absorb sunlight, one could shoot himself like a cannonball, one could turn into a wolf, and one could even absorb and shot electrify. Either way all the new students were really fun be to be around, other than the fact that the blow a lot of stuff up. It's also not that fun when you are one of the people who have to help train those kids.

Bu I really don't want to get into how often I've been blown up and how they've broken some of my jewelry. However, the gothic rose is the only jewelry piece that services these training sessions. Still, no one who was at the mansion on Christmas day likes the fact that I wear this rose. Maybe my parents and John are the only ones and I know when Scott got back that he wasn't happy.

"Hey Aprill," Even asked me at lunch. "You going to that carnival that the school is throwing this weekend?"

I tapped my chin. "Well, I've been thinking about going. Why are you going Even?"

He nodded and was going to answer but Kitty cut in. "Oh, I think that going will be so much fun don't you think."

Kurt sighed. "Ah I wish I could go but boom-boom got us in trouble."

Scott patted him on the shoulder. "Hey don't worry about it Kurt, maybe take time."

I was ok with going, it was just a carnival. But I really didn't want to give another opportunity to run into Fred outside of school again. I was going to continue the conversation but then black haired Jubilee ran up to us scared as hell. It was another one of those times that we liked taking all the students out to the park and it special part of the park that the Professor built for his students. I guess it's really weird when one of those students' runs up to us and afraid for their life.

I was the first to catch Jubilee. "Woh hold on their firework, what's the matter."

She took a deep breath. "It's one of those Brotherhood guys you guys told us about."

My eyes narrowed at once. "Which one Jubilee, can you describe him or her to us."

"I thought you were pulling our legs Aprill," She said with a small smile. "I never thought a guy could be that large."

I growled. "Fredrick."

Jean looked at me. "What are we going to do?"

It was kind of funny because every time that it was just Fred who was picking on the students, the others turned to me to see what to do. I guess that was just because of the fact that I'm the best one they have on handling him. Either way I looked at the rest of my team. "Gather up all the students and start getting them to the cars. I will hold off Blob as long as I can and see what he wants."

Jubilee was stunned. "But Lily, he'll kill you for sure."

I roll my eyes. "I'd love to see him try."

All of the students were safe with my teammates, however we were still looking for Multiple and I was scared of the little boy's life. For at least an hour I looked over every inch of the park and found nothing. What if Fred took Multiple to the house, oh who knows what the Brotherhood would do to him. He was just a little boy, what would Lance or Silver want with a thirteen year old. A few more minutes pass and still nothing. I finally had to rest on a low branch of a tree as I took in the local scents.

"Help," A sharp voice cut the silent air. "Aprill help me!"

"Multiple," I called out a little softer then the boy and swung down from the tree. Once I did, the small boy ran into me and hugged me close. "Oh Multiple there you are…"

"Look I know your still getting used to my duplicates but that huge guy still has the real me." He explained to me in a panic.

My eyes narrowed to slits. "Where Multiple, show me where you are."

The boy nodded and started to pull me along. We went about a yard or two until we came to this small clearing. And in the center was where he was sitting, smoking a cigarette and simply holding onto Multiple's shirt collar. When the true Multiple saw me enter the clearing, he looked like he was about to cry. "Tigerlily, Lily help me please!"

I growled and slowly rose in the air. "FREDRICK," I howled. "Let that boy go now!"

He looked at me with that classic laziness. "There you are, I was begining to think that you wouldn't show."

I snarled. "You bastard, let Multiple go Blob and mean NOW!"

He yawned and slowly stood up, still griping onto the little boy. "You want him," Fred through the cigarette on the ground and stepped on it. "Come get him."

"As you wish," I hiss and then lung forward. Right when I was a foot away from him, he pushed Multiple out of the way and let me push him back. I managed to get him to the ground but he got his boot in my stomach and kicked me away from him. I was flung back into the trees but managed to bounce off the oak tree was going to hit and fly back at Fred. Flying at him at full force, I miss my first punch but I get his jaw the second time. I hit him with such force that he flow back a few feet. Growling, Fred got up and charged at me, throwing punches of his own. Thank god I was fast or else he could have snapped my neck clean off my shoulder. When I kneed Blob hard in the chest I throw back a new punch and about ready to let him have it. Only this time, he was more prepared for me and blocked my fists with his own. In doing this, he made me put my feet on the ground and put us in a stand still. "Damn you." I growl as my muscles bulge and I push against him.

He smiles at me. "Here we are again, only this time," Fred pushed against me in turn. "Who's going to win?"

"Leave Tigerliy alone you brut," I look over to see Multiple running to help me.

"No Multiple," I snarl at him. "Go find Jean or Scott, I can handle Blob."

"Yes," Fred grins. "I just want," He removed his left hand from mine; making me fall forward and letting him put an arm around my waist. "To have some alone time with Mrs. Aprill"

Well, I was really not expecting this and neither was Multiple. The poor boy blushed like mad and ran for the end of the clearing that I entered in. With a huff, I tried to push off Fred in thinking that he just did this to get rid of Multiple but he wouldn't let me go. I looked up into his face with a scowl. "Um, Blob hello. The boy is gone, we can start fighting again you know."

Instead of listening to me, he raised his hand till his fingers touched the rose around my throat. "I'm taking it that you still don't know what it means."

I rolled my eyes with a sigh. "No, I still don't really know beside the fact that you want to be friends." Then I shook my head. "Is this why you scared the crap out of the students, just to ask me that?"

He sighed, let me go, took a step back and run a hand through his bleeding blond hair. "Part of it,"

"Ok," I said slowly. "And…"

"Nothing," He snapped and started to turn away from me.

"So, you want to be friends or something I'm taking it?" I called after his slow retreat.

He stopped when he reached the tree line and leaned against an oak. "Maybe,"

I smiled playfully next. "Stop smoking."

"No," Fred growled and just played with his lighter.

I bit my lip, this was a very odd conversation. "So hum how is Wanda?"

He smiled a bit but not as much as I thought he would. "She's fine."

"Good," I nod. "You got your girl at least, that's awesome."

"Ya," He huffed.

I played with my nails. "So…"

"Well, I'm leaving." He said bluntly. "See you over the weekend, Tigerlily."

My eyes widened in surprise, the carnival.

Well, I really didn't want to go to this carnival the next day but Jean dragged me. All the flashing lights and people screaming were hard on my scenes. I just wore simple clothes; nothing to big considering there was also a small dance going on to in the school. Why the school picked to put a carnival and a dance on the same night was beyond me. Most of the X-Men were at the dance, like Kitty who was going with Lance, no shock there. Then it was just me, Scott and Even to hang around the carnival. However, Scott got pulled away by some random girl and Even went to chill with some of his friends. So I was left to walk around the grounds and just look around. I wasted some money on playing some silly games. On one of them I even won this huge stuff teddy bear.

It was weird how a lot of things were reminding me of Fred lately. I didn't like it how he would just pop into my head very how many minuets and be a pain in the ass. Then something got me thinking. Didn't he say that he was going to see me today after what happened yesterday? But there was simply no sign of him and it's not like I was really hopping to see him. Sighing and I made it to one of the last 'rides' in the park. It was a room full of mirrors and kind of like a haunted house. Interested, I stepped onto the plat form and gave the guy a few tickets. Once inside, it was at first full of bright colors and hundreds of mirrors. I continued forward, seeing myself and the bear in my arms everywhere that I turned. I still looked the same, my hair was still down to my waist but up in a pony tail tonight. I've gotten stronger and look really fit after all the fights I've gotten into. Even if I don't get to much sleep these days, thanks to my immortality I look like I've gotten plenty of sleep. But I didn't really feel that way, with school, training the new students and still having Fred on my mind keeps me away from sleep. After the hundred mirrors came the haunted house. Well, it was just some cheap scare tricks and no one even jumped out to scare me. Skeletons lay on the floor and some of them even had some flesh on them still. Bats with red eyes hung from the ceiling and zombie prochain tellers would light up on the sides of the walls and say boo. I even yawned because I was just that bored. After about five more minutes of the "thrill ride" I saw the exist. I was happy to see it, now I could go home and sleep.

Well that changed when a pair of hands reached out and touched my shoulders. I let out bone chilling scream, I didn't see this coming and I thought that the man would let me go but instead, he pulled me closer to the darkness. "No, no let go of me…" I was going to scream for help but the man covered my mouth and pressed me to his body.

I felt his lips on my ear. "Wow, didn't think you scare that easy."

"Oh my god," I murmured against his hand and I let my body go slack. "You have got to be kidding me."

I shivered when he kissed my ear, he really has turned into a nut job. "I got you good."

"Ya, you did Dark Prince now let me go." I snarl.

Fred just huffed and released me. "I told you that I was going to see you this weekend," I saw a smirk on his lips. "What you didn't believe me."

I shook my head. "Ok its final, you have lost your mind Dukes."

"Oh well," He shrugged and started to walk back the way I came.

"Wait where are you…"

He glanced over his shoulder. "Don't make me drag you, fallow me."

I fallowed but I was shaking my head. "Um Fred, I went thought the whole maze,"

"I don't think so," He said simply with a snort. "There is one room that you haven't seen."

Rolling my eyes, I keep quiet as I let him take me to where ever he thinks that I haven't been in this place. About two minutes later, he stopped in front of a large door way with a thick pink curtain as the door. "What the hell?"

There is a grin on his face. "I told you, this place is a lot bigger then you think." Then slowly he pulled back the blanket and gently pushed me inside. And for a gothic punk, a room filled with cupids and big red heart was not the place to be.

I looked up at him in wonder. "A heart room, why'd you bring me here, don't you think that this should be something for Wanda."

He shook his head. "She doesn't like this sort of thing."

"Oh," I looked down at my feet and wrapped myself with my arms. Why was he doing this, when he was at school or near the Brotherhood he acted like such an ass hole. But it was moments similar to this where he acted more like his old self; I mean he wasn't even smoking in front of me now. "Then why did you bring me to this place?"

He turned to fully look at me with those chocolate eyes of his. "Because you would like it better," Slowly, timidly Fred reached out and brushed his thumb against my cheek while his other fingers wrapped around my neck. I shivered at his touch, this was the oddest out of character that I've ever seen him in. He was not acting like his new bad self nor was he fully acting like his old good self either. It was almost like he was putting two parts of himself together and creating this new side of him. He took a small step toward me and placed his other hand on my hip, making me drop the bear.

I took a deep breath. "Fred, what…what are you doing?"

He bit his lip and I could feel trembles starting in his hands. "Aprill I…I…"

I raised my hands to his chest and was it weird to feel that his cloths didn't just look like leather but felt like leather to. My right hand was splayed right over his heart and it was pounding against my palm. "What is it Trucker?" I can't remember the last time I called him that. Has it really been that long ago that we were the greatest of friends and never once fought. That we were back in Texas, growing up together and sharing very thing that life had given us. _Wow, look at how much the two of us have grown up…have changed._

Slowly, he pulled me in closer to his body. "I'm…I'm so sorry I've sat by and…watched you cry."

I blinked at him. "Freddy,"

"I didn't want to strike you Lily honest," I couldn't believe it, at first I didn't want to believe it, but I really was hearing the boy that I grow up with. He nudged my forehead with his. "Seeing you, shiver at the sight of me and bleeding…" He moved his head down so that his lips were touching my jaw. "I shouldn't have done it. It hurt me just as much as it hurt you and I was punished for what I did."

My eyes narrowed. "Punished…"

That's when he softly, timidly kissed my jaw line. "There was no sleep for me that night, only pain and lose."

"Fred, what are you talking about? What pain, what lose and what does this really have to do with me?" I managed to gasp out.

He took his hand from my neck and ran his fingers over the gothic rose. "I wish that you would finally get my hints."

"Hints…" I was going to say more but a sharp pain suddenly hit my side and I was pushed away from Fred's grip. I was suddenly pined to the fair left wall and way from him. Growling, I clawed at the wall, trying to move but some force wouldn't let me.

"You slut," I opened my eyes to see that Wanda, out of nowhere was standing in the door way with blazing eyes. "What do you think you're doing, coming on to Fred like this?"

I gritted my teeth together. "Coming on to _him, _you moron I was not coming on to him."

"Wanda," Fred growled. "Stop it."

"And as for you," With a flick of her hand, Fred was brought to his knees and was gasping in pain. "I'm very displeased with you, but first…" Wanda flicked her other hand this time and I was pulled off the wall. In the next moment I was flying out the door. "Leave us."

And so I did. I was out of the room and was slammed against the wall. I gritted my teeth in pain, feeling a little blood on my palms. "What the hell…" I growled and got to my feet. "Was that all about?" Slowly I was on my way to turn and leave this crazy house when I heard Fred scream. I never heard that out of him, never and a part of me wanted to just leave him to deal with his girl. But on the other hand I was suddenly very scared for him, no one has ever made him scream like that. Wanda was doing something every curl to him in there and I had to find out what.

I flow as fast as I could to get back to the door but just stopped there when I heard Wanda talking. "You insect, don't you ever learn?"

Fred's voice growled back. "You…you don't own me."

"Yes I do and more importantly my father dose." Wanda hissed her reply. _What the hell is going on?_

"Neither of you can control every move that I make." He gasped as if he was being tortured.

Wanda laughed. "True Blob you really are smart. But if you displease me or my father then…well, you know what will happen."

"Don't you dare lay a hand on her head," Fred yelled. "I swear if you hurt her I'll…"

"You'll what Fredrick because I can grantee if you slip up again that Magneto will kill your oh so precious Tigerlily." My eyes widened in horror, _Magneto is black mailing Fred with my life._ "I mean really Dukes, what use do you think Magneto would have with a girl like her. Sure she was very important tool at first but now he has no use for her and you are the only muscle that he has in Bayville now."

He huffed. "Ya, now I have to dress like the dead and kiss you, good plan."

There was a sneer in her voice. "I don't like this anymore then you do Blob. I mean please, who would want to love an ugly thing like you." I had to cover my mouth to hold back my gasp. _Oh Freddy what have you gotten into?_

"What do we have here," I was glad that my mouth was covered to hold back my scream too when I heard that voice. I looked over my shoulder to see a tall man standing behind me. His hair a bark brown color and has a handsome face. I think what got my mind going was seeing his eyes. The white of them were completely black and color around his pupils was a blood red color. "Oh ho, you must be Aprill, mon ami's cher?"

I blinked at him. "Cher…what does that even mean."

He sighed. "I mean, your Blob's girl aren't you?" I nodded slowly, not really sure how to argue with this guy. "Listen cher, you don't belong here you should get goin."

"But what about Freddy?"

He smiled. "Oh don't worry southern bell he will be fine, you have my word."

"But," I started to say wide eyed but the man griped my arm and started to pull me through the building. I sighed. "Can I at least know your name?"

We started to enter the more 'haunted' part of the house when he looked over his shoulder and winked. "The name is Gambit cher, a name you won't soon forget."


	24. Chapter 23: A Break Through

Chapter Twenty-Three

A Break Through

I stayed up late that night and looked out over land the Professor owned, deep in thought. The things that happened just a mire few hours ago are contently replaying in my mind. I will admit that it doesn't make since. Hell, a lot of things that Fred has done over the course of my life in knowing him have never made since. Trying to make some since out of any of what happened is really hard to. One moment, I have a nut job on my hands just wanting to walk through a carnival ride with me. But in fact just lead me to question more and more about what he really his thinking. I don't even want to get started on what I heard between him and Magneto's daughter.

Why, why…why…why it's always came down to that same old word. I've been asking myself that same question since the day I ran away from home when I was five. Why did S.H.E.I.L.D want me, why was Batman harassing my parents and why oh why was Fred always putting his life on the line for me. I'm not that special, not that powerful of mutant but apparently I guess I'm wrong. Even if S.H.E.I.L.D and Batman gave up on me years ago, it was always Fredrick James Dukes that was always protecting me. I don't get why, I never asked it of him and I would never want him to go to the lengths that he has. Fred's crossed so many borders, so many lines, I would think that he would have had a limit. But no, he's crossed so many borders, broken so many walls and is now ripping apart his lungs with smoking just for me. He's given so many reasons as to why he doses these things for me. That I'm his family, his best friend and I've always given that to him because that was true. But still, there seems to be no real end to how fair he'll go.

I rested my fingers against the gothic rose. _There is very good reason why that was given to you and even why you're wearing it now._ I really don't think it's him saying that he wants to be friends. _I wish that you would finally get my hints. _Hints…I was never able to ask him what he meant before Wanda walked in. _Don't you dare lay a hand on her head, I swear if you hurt her I'll! _I wonder, as I look back over all the things that have ever happened to the both of us, what he's true meaning is. _You are such a sweet, kind and gentle of a girl._ I think it all started mainly when I start to notice was that night so long ago after what happened with Jean. He looked so devastated, so broken and lost but then so over filled with joy when he saw me. That emotion that saw in his eyes that night, a feeling that I couldn't place because I never saw it before. Then that lead to going to Camp Redwood, when everyone started to think that Fred _loved _me_. __I don't love Aprill…you want to date her…be my guest._I believed what he said back then only because I heard the truth in his voice. But even then I had my doubts. Then the one thing that Fred was not going to tell…that one thing that Carly claimed that Fred would be devastated if I learned what it was. _I suppose that she dissevers what you truly think of her, but if I say it out loud…then she may not feel the same way about you. For you are unsure of it yourself. In fact, you are scared of losing her over it__._ I have to admit that Carly was a really strange character but now, after all this time; I think she really did know what she was talking about.

I remember how mean Fred got that night when he demanded how hurt I was. But when he wouldn't tell me what he was hiding from me, I walked away and fell for Silver. The next day was no better, I got into a hug fight with Fred but I was glad it worked out. The whole thing that happened in the dining hall is where things got bad again, with Fred and Silver fighting. But I think it was when I was outside in the rain, under the willow that really got me thinking. _Love and friendship are hard things to carry together so heavily, you are in quiet a corner, with two boys after your heart. I know but the question is which one. _

Back then, it was such a weird question since I was dating Silver. Hell, I even remember Rogue was telling me that dating Fred would be a lot better of a choice then staying with Silver. But after what happened on M…Carly proved that one of them didn't care about me at all and that was Silver. And now that only thing felt…the kiss on M. I opened my eyes and looked out into the night sky. "No way," I whisper to myself. "Could he really…" That dream that had with my uncle before I woke up outside M. I know that was a really strange dream and it didn't really make much since. But now I really, truly think that it was really trying to tell me something. _He loves ya, ya know little lady, be nice._

I touched my lips and remembered the heat that Fred left on them when he kissed me. "Crap, what have I done?" _There is very good reason why that was given to you and even why you're wearing it now._ "Now I get why he gave it to me but now…what does he think the really reason would be for me to wear it?" Now that was a part that I was not sure on yet, however, _I wish that you would finally get my hints._ My eyes widen a little. "Does he think that I know how he feels and why I wear it…is because that I…"

Without thinking I run out of through the mansion, get my car and drive off to the Brotherhood house.

I beat down on the door a long time, knowing what time is was as I waited for someone to answer. So I was really happy to see that the door was finally being opened and a sleepy Lance was standing in front of me. Only where PJ pants and rubbing his left eyes with his left hand, he looked at me with his other eye open. "Aprill," Lance managed with a yawn. "What the hell are you doing here; it's like two in the morning?"

"I know Lance, but I need to see Fred. Is he home." I ask in a rush.

He dropped his hand from his eye and sighs in annoyance. "No shit he's home Aprill like I said it's two in the morning. Knowing him, he doing what everyone else should be doing, sleeping."

I clear my throat. "Can I come in?"

He shakes his head. "You might as well and I'll let Fred deal with you."

"Thanks," I softly call after him as he walked back up the stairs and back to bed. I felt bad for waking him up but this was really important. Slowly I worked my way up the stairs after Lance and made my way down the hall to where Fred's room was. I felt really stupid about doing this but instead of just walking in I gently knock.

I know that Fred's a heavy sleep so I was not surprised when it takes a few knocks to really be sure that he heard me. I waited for about five minutes and I was just about ready to open the door when it finally opens. "Who the hell is knocking at this time of…" He was rubbing his eyes and when he stopped picking at his eyes, Fred just eyes me. "Aprill? What…what the hell are you doing?"

"Can we talk, please." I ask softly.

He pinches the bridge of his nose. "You've got to be kidding, it's two in the morning."

I bit my lip. "It's…it's really important Freddy."

Fred regarded me for a moment and just looked into my eyes. He was looking for just what could so important at this time of night for me to come knocking at his door. Once those moments are over, Fred sighs and steps aside. "Fine, come in."

I take a deep breath. "Thanks." I slowly step into the room and go and sit at the end of his massive bed. I watch as he gently shuts the door and with a yawn goes to lie back on his bed.

Covering his eyes with one arm he asks. "Who let you in?"

"Lance."

"He should have let you sleep on the couch." He grumbles.

"You know I would have come up anyway." I say.

I saw a smile on his lips. "No shit, and what did he say."

"To leave you to deal with me." I'm smiling now.

"That bastard," He chuckles darkly. "He knows I can barely sleep."

And of a moment I thought that he was going back to sleep. "Hey, are you even going to listen to me."

"I clearly I'm," He grumbles again.

I bit my lip, take a another deep breath and I start. "I was in my room for the past few hours and thinking a lot of things over…"

"Ya," He says, showing me that he's listening. "And…"

"And I came up with a lot of interesting, important information." I continued.

"And," Fred says again and this time he sounds a little more interested.

My heart really started to pound now, I started to get a little scared about saying what I have concluded. But I couldn't hide from this anymore, now that I have so much evidence saying how he feels. I look at his face were he's covered his eyes. "And…I found, that I'm stupid." I managed a small laugh to my own stupidity. "You…you love me, don't you."

That's when he stood up right on the bed and uncovered his eyes. They were wide and filled with shock. "I finally get it now, looking over all the obvious clues…hints that everyone, including you were giving me. The thought that you cared in this way always came to my mind but it got dismissed, in thinking that there was no way that it could be true." I looked in his wide eyes. "But I was being so stupid. You were at times were flatly telling me how you felt and I never got it."

He blinked at me. "Aprill…"

I shake my head to bit back my tears. "You gave me this rose," And I touch it for good measure. "To tell me your 'dark' secret, oh and before I forget." I raised a hand and touch his cheek. "I heard what you and Wanda talked about."

That's when he found his voice. "What…but Wanda through you out!"

I nod. "Ya, but do you really think that I would have just left after I heard you scream?"

He sighs and falls back onto his bed. "Well, I see the importance of this now."

"When," I start to ask. "How long have you loved me?"

Fred looks up at his ceiling. "Forever,"

I bit my lips again. "Really," He just nods. "Then what about that thing with Jean."

"To make you jealous," He sighed.

"Really?" I ask.

I saw him grin. "Did it work?"

"Well, I didn't like seeing what you were doing for her…" I stop and replay what I was feeling on that day so long ago and I gasp. "Oh shit," I cover my face with my hand. "I really I'm stupid."

"Why Lily," I heard concern in his voice now.

I started to shake my head. "I did get jealous. Now I get, the rose was given to show your love Freddy. But I'm wearing it because, I love you back."

He slowly got up so that he was in a sitting position and smiled lightly at me. "Bingo, glad you finally at least saw how much I care."

"How much do you really care?" I ask as I look into his eyes.

"I love you," He admits to me for the first time. "I love you so much that it hurts." Now it was his turn to reach out and touch my face.

I blushed. "Do you even care about Wanda at all?"

He huffed half heartedly. "Not in any way at all. You're the only one I care about and I hated kissing her." Fred shook his head. "It hurt so much to kiss another girl when all my mind has ever wanted was you."

"Did you really get no sleep that night when you hit me?" I ask.

"Ya," He nodded sadly. "There was so much pain, my insides were being ripped apart…" That's when his voice started to shake. "I tried to sleep but whenever I got it, I got nightmares."

"Nightmares of what?" I ask gently and touch his hand on my face.

I saw that he was really trying to hold back his own tears. "Of you dyeing by my hand, Magneto's hand or just seeing you with…with someone else."

"Silver!" I gasp and reach out with both my hands to touch his face. "Oh Freddy, I'm so sorry…I never meant to hurt you."

"It's ok," He answered miserably. "At least you were happy in the end, that was enough for me."

"And what happened at M?" This was really good, I was getting answers.

"I knew that you would be angry with me after that was all over. So I took a chance and did the one thing I've wanted to do for years." I didn't realize that I was crying until he brushed my face clean from tears.

I shook my head. "How could you have been ok with all of this? Why didn't you just flat out tell me how you felt?"

"I was scared of the chance that you wouldn't feel the same way." He starts to answer.

"Carly." I whisper.

He nods. "She was right, I was scared of losing you over it. And I was ok with just having you in my life as a friend. It was better than not having you at all."

"The thing that you wouldn't tell me, you were really unsure about how you felt back then." I ask.

Fred shrugs. "Ya a little bit, but I don't know why." I nodded and then I explained the night after what happened with Jean, about the emotion that I saw in his eyes. Fred laughed a small, good laugh. "I thought that what I planned back fired. So I was so upset that I really did lose you but when you came back, I kind of lost control for a moment there."

I smile. "You also kind of lost it in the car ride to Bayville, when you got so close to me that you could have kissed me." That's when I smack my forehead. "Shit I can't believe that I've been so blind."

"Well, I always thought that you did know. But because you didn't know if you felt the same way that that was why it took you so long." Fred puts in.

"That makes since." I agree.

"Aprill," He asks and slowly leans forward with blazing eyes.

My breath catches in my throat. "Yes, Freddy?"

"Can I…" His voice was shaking like crazy and there was a look of pure longing in his eyes. "Can I kiss you?"

I shallow and try to control my breathing. A small fire was starting to build inside me at his words and what he wanted. Now I see, now I think I understand why I kissed him back on M and when I kissed him to get away from him. I want this, I want what he wants. "Yes you may." I say slowly. And that was all that he needed for me to say. He gently pressed his lips on mine and took it slow, wanting to see how fair I would let him go. Seeing that I was okay with the slow, gentle touches, that is when he heated things up. His kisses became less controlled, less thought through and did even more exploring. Nibbling gently on my lips, tracing the lines of my mouth with his tongue and I've never been kissed like this before. It wasn't an owning kiss, it was more on the lines of saying how much he loves me. He laced his arms around my waist and pulled me in. When my arms were placed around his neck is when he fell back. Holding me close, I found myself laying on top of him and still locked in a deep kiss. His hands were no longer staying on the small of my back; they went up and down my spine, through my hair, and skimmed my waist.

I broke away first, gasping for breath. "Wow!"

He chuckled. "Better than Silver?"

"Much better," I laugh and softly shake my head. "I'm not going to make comparisons okay."

Fred pressed his lips to my forehead. "Sounds fair, but I do know one thing that I'll do differently then what he did."

I raise an eyebrow. "And what might that be."

"I'm actually in love with you baby," I blush a deep red. "And I'd never sell you out for anything."


	25. Chapter 24:First Day of School

Chapter Twenty-Four

First Day of School All Over Again

"Are you sure that you have to leave baby?" Freddy asks me as I slowly make my way down the stairs the next morning. I didn't mean to spend the night, but it was really late as it was and Fred was determined for me to get some sleep. So I fell asleep with him in his bed, all cloths were on and nothing happened, and now I have to go back to the school.

I sigh. "I have to. I left the mansion without anyone knowing of course and they will be very worried if I'm not in my room."

He catches up with me as I was putting my coat on and embraced me. "I'll worry to you know."

"Ya, I know." I nod in agreement. The one thing that I know happened last night was that the two of us had a very long talk. So yes, I was really dating Fred Dukes, he was more than happy to be fully honest with me and thank god, stop smoking.

That was when Lance walked down the stairs behind us. "You know, it's six thirty in the morning and it's a Monday. Don't you think Lily that you should just go to the _real _school with us?"

I bit my lip. "It would be a smarter idea yes but it wouldn't look good to the other X-Men."

Fred bent down to kiss my cheek. "They know that you wouldn't rejoin the Brotherhood, even for me, so there really is nothing to worry about."

"Yes but what about my books?" I look into his eyes.

"Since when did you ever take homework home _Aprill_." I looked away from Fred to look into the ice blue eyes of Silver. The news of me walking into the house at two in the morning spread fast, the same thing with Fred and me dating. However, just the idea of having me in this house period didn't settle well with Silver. "You know Blob, my sister and father are going to kill her for this."

Fred's arms became more protective around my waist. "I'm sure that he will agree that if he keeps Aprill alive, then I will have no problem with staying in this house."

Silver snorts. "Why you love that snob is beyond anything I can comprehend."

"I'm not a snob Silver!" I snarl and look back at Lance. "You know what, going to school with you guys just this once sounds like a good idea after all."

The car ride to the school was a little weird, only just because Silver wouldn't stop glaring at me. Freddy tried his best with trying to make Silver stop but that ended in a lot of yelling. I wouldn't fully understand why Silver hates me so much, it just didn't make much since. After all, he made it pretty clear that he didn't like me in anyway. He also loved explaining how there was no way he would be jealous of anything that Fred has. Besides that, I was really grateful that Wanda was nowhere to be seen for the moment. No one was going to tell me where she was and Fred simply had no idea where she could be. Oh well, I was not going to worry about that right now.

When we got to the school, the Brotherhood went their separate ways. Fred however, was determined to at least walk me to my locker. And I was glad that he did, I kind of enjoyed the look of shock on people's faces. I guess that not only were they surprised that Fred was wearing his normal cloths again but that we were holding hands. Even if I didn't really mind if he wore those gothic punk clothes much, he rinsed the red out of his hair, took out the nose ring and took off the pure onyx jewelry. He was tempted on give the jewelry back to Wanda, just for a good laugh but then decided that I would like them. Even if I wasn't that big a fan of onyx, I took them anyway. So along with the gothic rose, I'm also wearing the onyx bat around my neck. I wasn't sure how I was going to wear the rings, seeing that they were way too big for my fingers. To my luck, I remembered that I had a spare gold chain in my jewelry box back in my room.

I took a deep breath as I open my locker and start to get the things that I need. Fred is leaning against the lockers to my left and mindlessly played with a broken lighter. I saw it out of the corner of my eye and frowned. "I did you really like smoking?"

He shook his head. "Hated it to bits, all smoking is is breathing in toxins."

"So would say that you got addicted?" I ask as I pull out my science textbook.

Fred reaches over and stokes my hair with a single finger. "Not in the least, though I could say that I am addicted to something."

"If you say me I swear to god." I teased

He playfully scowled. "I thought you wanted me to be honest."

I laughed and nudged him with my hip. "I did and I should have said something about being corny."

"Oh," Fred teased back. "Then that means that I shouldn't talk ever again."

I roll my eyes. "You're terrible."

With the same hand that was on my hair, now snaked its way down till it curled under my chin. He turned my face towards him and leans forward. "And you love me all the same." He whispers.

"That can be questionable." I say with the batting of my eyelashes.

With a light smirk on his lips, Fred continued to lean forward to give me a kiss. I closed my eyes and prepared myself for his lips but…they never came. I open one eye to see what is wrong and find that Fred's face has hardened. "Freddy what's wrong?"

"I…can't…move…" He managed to growl.

I was stunned, what on earth was wrong with him but that was when a familiar scent came to my nostrils. My lips pull back in a snarl. "Let him go Jean," I turn to face her strained green eyes. "And I mean let him go _now_."

I snarl more when I see the rest of the X-Men standing behind her. The only ones that looked hateful about what Jean was doing were Rogue and Kitty. _Good, _I thought. _I knew that they would understand._ But it really was no surprise to see Scott lead the charge. "We need to have a talk Aprill, so if you don't mind to come with us."

"Ya, surprisingly I do mind." I hiss. "You want to talk Scott that's fine but leave Fred alone."

I guess Kitty couldn't take it, she let out squeal of joy and gave me a big hug. "Oh Aprill I knew it, I knew it, I knew it. Like, it's about time the two of you are together."

I heard Rogue chuckle. "Ya, about time."

"Okay, okay Kitty cut it out." I push away from her. "Thanks really," As turn my attention back to Jean and Scott, I put my books down and wrap my arms around Fred's neck. Then in turn, with the little control that he had at that moment put his free arm around my back. "I'm not moving until you let him go."

"This is insane," Scott growled. "I don't care how close you are to him, Blob is still very dangerous."

Rogue shoved him in the shoulder. "Will you shut up Scotty, just let the gal come on her own."

I looked at Jean and saw that she was getting a little pale. "Rogue's right you know Scott. Besides, Jean can't hold Fred still for much longer, not with his strength."

Scott considered what we said and looked at Jean to see that I really had a point. So with a heavy sigh, he admitted defeat. "Alright fine, let him go Jean."

As soon as Jean did, color started to return to her face and she slumped into Even's shoulder. Fred on the other hand gripped me with more protective strength and growled at Scott. "Oh, you have no idea how dangerous I can get four-eyes."

I kissed his cheek. "Fred no, don't!" Our eyes met then. "Freddy I know that they shouldn't have done that. But clearly they must have a really good reason for doing so. Please, let me go with them to see what they want."

"And what if I let you go and don't get you back." Fred whispers under his breath, not wanting the X-Men to hear what he just said.

I kiss his cheek again. "I'll come back sweetheart, I promise."

He regarded me for a long moment, truly a painful puzzle was being put together. Finally, Fred grunted. "Okay, fine," His lips touched mine in a brief kiss. "You come back to me okay and you," He glared at the X-Men. "You be nice to her understand?"

Rogue nodded. "Sure thang sugar, don't worry, your girl is safe with us."

I slowly stepped away from his arms. "I'll see you at lunch or something okay."

At first he did say anything, which made me feel bad when I still walked away. But then I heard his whispered voice in the still air. "See you soon baby."

"Okay, so what is it that you want you guys?" I ask when they pulled me under the belchers outside the soccer field. We were all skipping out on first period for this, and I was wondering just how long they were going to keep me here.

Scott sighed. "Do I even want to ask what happened when you ran out last night?"

I huff. "You could, but I wouldn't tell you."

As he was almost looking like he was foaming at the mouth, Rogue smiled at me. "Did you finally get the memo sug?"

"Ya, I guess I did." I return the smile.

"So does this mean that you're madly in love one another Aprill?" Kitty asked, begging for me to answer.

I blush a little. "Well, I wouldn't say that we're like that but we still care about each other every much."

Rogue rolls her eyes. "Oh please hon, the way you griped him and sayin that ya wouldn't move till he was set free. I call that major lovey dovey."

"Okay enough," Scott growled. "We have way more important things to talk about."

Kitty glared at Scott. "Stick in the mud."

Even adjusted so that Jean was leaning more comfortable against his shoulder and then he looked at me. "Logan has gone missing Lily."

My eyes narrowed. "What! What do you mean that he's gone?"

"That he is simply gone my friend." Kurt replied. "He was with us yesterday, then left to find sabertooth or something and hasn't shown up since."

"The professor and I have been looking on Cerebro and have found nothing." Jean managed to whisper.

I walked over to her and placed a hand on her forehead. "Are you okay Jean?"

She smiled at me. "Ya, I'll be fine don't worry about it."

I look over my shoulder at Scott. "What were you thinking, making Jean hold Fred like that? You know that with his will strength that it's almost impossible to just hold him there."

"We were in public that was the only thing that Jean could do." Scott huffed.

I shook my head and stood up. "Your impossible Scott. So okay, Logan is missing. I don't know about the rest of you but for the moment I'm not that worried."

"But Aprill," Kitty started to say.

"No, you guys." I was still shaking my head. "Look, Logan runs off and does his own thing all the time. If something has happened to him, then I'm sure that he can get himself out of it." As the bell of second period rang I started to push away from the others. "If he doesn't show up in a few days or so then we can start to get more worried."

I went through the next two periods without much trouble. With the classes being changed two months ago, I still didn't have any classes with the Brotherhood. It wasn't until the last period of the day when I would see them. But for right now, I skipped through Lit and then History class with no real problems at all. The only thing that kept getting me was the fact that I kept thinking about Freddy. Now that there was no secrets between us, I kept thinking about all the years that we have know each other. I kept on seeing that he was always, in his own special, showing he loved me. Even the first time that we meet, when his face turned a deep red and got all wide eyed. _I knew from that every first moment that we met, that you had my heart._ I never realized just how loving and passionate Fred is until now. It's almost like this passionate side of him just walked out of a romantic novel. Then after I would think about all these really loving and sweet things, I get sad again. All this time, he had been locking those feelings away in his heart for a little over ten years.

"_It's ok Lily really, don't worry about it." Fred had said last night. I was still laying on top of him and I could feel his chest vibrate when he talked. _

_I had shook my head. "But it's not ok, you were hurting yourself every day. Bottling up your emotions like that, it's not healthily._

We had a little argument about it, I just wanted Fred to see how unhealthy that was for him. Then he didn't want me to really worry about it, and I guess in some lights I shouldn't. But I just worry and care about him so much, more than I ever thought and the idea of him hurting for so long still didn't settle with me. I think that I'm still not going to be happy with myself for some time yet. I should have seen his hints, the clues that everyone was giving me and confront him about it. But what would have been the point, back then I didn't think I that I could ever love him or that he ever loved me. Now, I know all too well that he loves me but I also see that I love him almost just as much. Ya, I still trying get out of the state of mind, that we are still really close friends and even family. It's gotten a lot better for me for some reason in the past few hours and I don't know why that is.

Oh well, thread period was over and everyone was working their way to the lunch room. I was a little excited to see Fred after what happened this morning. Once I got there the room was jam packed with students. There was a tap on my shoulder and I almost jump with joy. "There you are…" I start to say as I look over my shoulder but my heart sank. I was looking into the hard hazel eyes of Magneto's daughter.

She grins at me. "Who are you looking for?"

"Just my friends." I answer coolly.

"You know you should really watch your step," Wanda hisses at me, for a moment I thought that she knew that I overheard her and Fred the other day. But after a another once over her face, it didn't seem like she had any idea that I knew what was going to happen to me or what they were doing to Freddy. She raised an eyebrow at me. "What the hell are you looking at?" She snapped.

"Me, I hope." The two of us look behind me and I smile.

"Fred." Me and Wanda say in unison. But unlike her, I completely forgot about the threat over my head and walked over to him. "There you are Freddy I was looking for you."

He smirks at me. "You were, were you? I hope I didn't keep you waiting for too long?"

"No, not long at all," I say as I let him slowly embrace me.

Wanda cleared her throat loudly. "Um, excuses me, what do you think you're doing Fredrick."

His arms went fully around me, nearly fully covering me with his massive arms. "Saying hello to my girl, have a problem with that?" I remember the last time that he said that. He said something similar to that when I found him and Wanda in the bushes.

"You have got to be joking," Wanda half laughed. "Not only did you tell her how you left, but she's that stupid to consider you."

"I was the one who figured out that he loves me," I correct her. "And I really must be stupid, considering I love him with all my heart."

As Wanda shoot daggers at the two of us, Fred met my eyes and looked truly touched. "You really mean that gal." I nodded and wrapped my arms around his neck. His eyes darken and he licked his lips, Fred placed a kiss on my forehead. "Oh sweetheart,"

"Enough!" Wanda screamed, making everyone in the room look at us. Walking forward, she gripped my bare shoulder and knew that what she was about to do next was with her powers. "How dare you try to take him from me!" Wanda managed to pull my away from Fred's protective hold and practically through me across the room. Of course, realistically Wanda only through me a few feet or so however, when I was sliding on the floor…well that looked like I was sliding on ice. So I broke my way through a few tables and was slammed against the wall.

"Aprill," Fred yells and was starting to came after me but Wanda stopped him.

She jumped up so that her arms were around his neck and kissed his nose. "Don't worry Freddy I'm here, you don't have to worry about that slut anymore." Fred was going to protest but couldn't when she covered his mouth with her own.

At first I was really wondering why Fred was not moving, why he wasn't doing anything to stop her. But then it hit me, it must have something to go with her powers. So when that realization hit, the boiling anger ripped through me. Seeing Wanda lace herself on him, it even looked like that he was even kissing her back. This set me off, not thinking about how I was in public, I growled. "Wanda!" I roared as I got off the floor. "Keep your hands off him." Running at full force, I slammed into her and pulled her away from him. Now I know that I used my powers to through her across the room.

"Wanda!" I looked to see a flash a white rush over to where Wanda was on the floor. As old Silver pulled his dazed sister off the ground he growled at me. "Aprill what the hell?"

I just shook my head at him, giving him a _where-have-you-been_ look. Wanda looked like she was getting more of her focus back and snarled me. "You're dead Fisk, you hear me. You are so DEAD Mrs. Immortal."

Of course this statement was yelled haft way across the room and very student was looking at us like we were nuts. Soon, Silver whispered something in Wanda's ear and started to pull her away from the room. Soon everything seemed to calm down a bit. No one came up to ask any questions, well that got shattered when Mr. Duncan walked up to me.

He whistled. "Wow, never thought that Blob-boy would have girls fighting over him." I remember the last time I talked to Duncan. He was about to try to gang up on Fred on the first day. But I stepped in the way and at once he started flirting with me. I also remembered how worried Fred had gotten that day, he seemed really scared that I was badly hurt. Just another one of those love moments that I never catch onto. Then Duncan raised an eyebrow. "So," He licked his lips. "You're not really dating that loser are you angle."

"Yes she is dating me." I looked up and found that Fred was standing behind me, resting his hands on my shoulders. Where did he come from and why did I feel his hands on my shoulders until just now. He gave Duncan a warning look. "I'd keep my hands to myselfif I were you Dunk."

Duncan heard what Freddy said but just kept looking at me. "Really baby, I thought we had something special."

I snorted. "If you mean me keeping you _company _on Saturday nights, then no, nothing special at all."

"Oh but baby cakes," Duncan started to say, but Fred got between the two of us and started to turn me in the other direction.

"She said no Dunk," Fred growled. "Now leave her alone." Then he turned away from Duncan and started to walk me out of the lunch room. "Come on gal, let's go outside." He whispered in my ear and I was not going to protest.

It was a nice, warm early spring day outside as the two of us stood under a apple tree outside the basketball court. I didn't really want to go back to class, not after everything that went on in the lunch room. I shouldn't have to be worried about Wanda's death threat but it still bothered me. I was not certain what her powers are and from I've seem so fair, I don't think I really want to know that they really are. Well, I was a little surprised that I even able to think on anything else right now. Considering Fred had me pinned gently against the tree and hotly kissing me. But I guess Freddy felt the little tension that I had and pulled away from my lips. "Aprill," He started to say.

I shook my head. "No, no Freddy there is nothing the matter, honest."

He raised an eyebrow at me and gave me that _you-can't-fool-me _look. "No more secrets baby." Trucker gently reminded me.

"I really shouldn't really be worried at all." I sighed, knowing that he had me concerned (other than pinning me to the tree). "After all, it's not like Wanda is really going to live up to that threat."

He curled up closer to me, almost like he was trying to block out the outside world even more. "Don't worry about that darlin." The words brushed against the skin of my ear gently. "Wanda will never get the chance, I'll keep you safe."

"No I…" The rest of the words got stuck in my throat.

Fred started to make a line of kisses down my neck. "No what Lily?" He said the words against my skin.

"I'm not going to let you get hurt because of me." I said sternly.

He stopped his trail of kisses and looked up into my eyes. "Aprill I,"

"No," I shook my head. "You've been putting yourself throw hell for me and you don't have to. I'm not that special."

His eyebrows come together between his eyes as he regarded what I just said. "Not…special…" For a moment he really looked like I spoken Latin or what I just said was completely impossible. He mindlessly gripped a lock of my hair and brushed it against to his nose. After taking a deep breath he trembled a little and seemed to be more in focus. "Lily, you are special, at least to me."

I sighed. "But…"

Fred pressed himself even closer to me now and kissed my cheek. "No buts. Listen Aprill no matter what, you're my heart," His voice trembled a little. "You're my soul, my reason to live, you…"

"Whoa hold on a sec." I just had to stop him for a moment. "Come on Freddy now you're really sounding like a romantic novel, there's just no way that you…"

His lips found mine again in a very deep kiss. I mean, he even laced his fingers under my chin to bring my face up more to his level. In doing this, he didn't have to lean down so much to kiss me but it made our lips become firmly interlocked. Then he pulled away but still keep his lips just barely brushing over mine. "I know how this must sound to you Lily but…it's the whole truth I swear. You're everything to me, my whole life."

I looked him in the eyes. "There has to be something more important than me in your life."

I could almost feel the trembling of his lower lip. "Believe me, I've looked over the years and trust me when I say that even breathing is second thing on my mind."

"Freddy…"

"Please Lily," He half panted now, wrapping his hands around my neck. "I know where your skeptical but I couldn't make this up. I mean come on Aprill look at me." And that's what I did, I looked. What I saw was nothing different, nothing new. The same old muscular, round face that held his brown eyes, and the old blond hair style. Then there were his thick muscled neck which then went to his broad shoulders. After that were his massive arms and hands and his skin still felt warm to the touch. To finish it off of course was his bulging stomach, two legs and two feet.

I gave him a quizzical look. "Um ok, am I supposed to see a tattoo or something?"

"Oh Aprill," He sighed at my statement, clearly sounding a little disappointed. "No there isn't a tattoo or something, it's me looking like a…"

"Fred." I said sternly. "We've been throw this, you're not a monster."

He sighed and suddenly he looked really upset. "I know that's what you believe, you've even made me believe it but Aprill…no one else does." Fred shook his head. "Just hear me out darlin ok. Look, the way I see it is quite simple," He kissed my forehead. "If you never came to Texas, if we didn't meet…I would be running around with the Brotherhood not giving a damn. I would have no family, nothing to keep me from not taking a life…" I gaped at him then but he just kept going. "I'd have nothing, no one and come Aprill do you really think that any other women would ever want to get close to me."

I blinked my tears away. "Freddy,"

Fred was trembling like crazy now, looking at me with so much pain. He shook his head again. "No gal, no other woman would. I'd be all alone and cold in this world, mindlessly steeling or maybe killing. I would have probably killed myself by now if it wasn't for you."

"Don't say that!" My voice completely broke then, tears running heavy down my cheeks.

I just saw in that moment that he was crying with me. He brushed my hair away from my face. "You know it's true," I shook my head and he smiled sadly at me. "In that first moment I meet your eyes that night, I knew somehow that I had found something to live for. At first I thought I was crazy, you would just pick on me and laugh at me like everyone else. But you never did, never have and slowly I found that you genially cared about me."

"You didn't tell me this last night."Was all I was able to say.

"These are my more deeper, darker feelings." Fred admitted to me. "I was going to tell you, but I didn't want to put this on you so soon. I didn't want you to think that you were obligated to do anything that you're not comfortable with."

I raised an eyebrow. "Like what?"

His eyes became very dark and filled with fire. Taking one hand away from my neck, he slowly traced the lines of my shoulder, arm, and then down my waist. Pressing himself roughly against me, he licked his lips with a small smile. "It might not be a good idea to let these feelings go a little wild," Fred's voice became very deep and husky, his breath hot against my skin. "But it's just to prove a small point." The hand that was on my waist was now gripping the fabric of my shirt and he brushed his fingers against my skin. With a growled moan, he kissed me very hotly on my lips. Before I knew it, his other hand was on the other side of my waist and, with both hands, started to pull my shirt up.

That was when I started to panic, _what the hell is he doing?_ Slowly, somehow I mange to pull my lips away from his but that made him kiss my jaw line, throat and neck, and even down to my collarbone. I gasped, because deep down I was liking this but there was no way I could let it go any more. Especially when he was about to pull my shirt over my chest. "Fred stop," I say, trying to pull away from him. But it didn't seem to do anything and only just seemed to make him want more. His hands were inches away from my chest and that's when I growled. "Trucker, stop it now, please." Then I just remembered that my hands were more free moving then I first thought. Thinking fast, I slowly raised a hand to his cheek and dug my nails into his flesh.

"Ouch!" He yelped in pain and I saw a little blood go down his cheek. His hands stopped just a small inch away from my chest. Looking into his shocked eyes, I saw that they were no longer darken with lust and not burning with fire. Breathing heavily, Fred looked at the situation in front of him and gasped. "I knew it was a risk," He groaned at his own stupidity, hastily pulling my shirt down. "Oh Aprill I'm so sorry are you ok, I didn't hurt you did I?"

I took a deep breath. "Freddy, what the hell was that?"

His lower lips trembled. "My deepest, darkest, wants and needs, that is what happened." That's when he looked away from me. "You see, that is why I was scared not to tell you about how I felt when I was younger. I didn't have true control over those feelings and when I heard you keep saying that you frowned upon men only liking one thing…well, it got me really upset. It wasn't until later that I realized that I loved you way more than just the looks, however these feelings have always been here…" Slowly, as he looked into my eyes, somehow I saw him locking those deep feelings of passion and lust in chains and throwing them into a cage in his heart.

I shook my head. "No Fred don't do that, don't lock feeling up anymore."

"Aprill, I would be more then honored to do anything that you ask me," He started to say. "But in this case, I just can't do what you ask of me this time." When I protested, he pressed a finger to my lips. "I would be lying if I said that I didn't love how beautiful you are, how much I want you but things like wanting to _have_ you are just things that I can't have right now."

"All right," I sigh, seeing that there was really no point in trying to push the subject. Then I looked down at my watch and continued to sigh. "Oh man, I really should be going home soon."

Fred looked at the time on my watch to and sighed with me. "That bits, I wish you could stay longer."

I nod. "Ya me to."

"Hmm," He ponders for a moment. "Well, to be honest once again. Last night had to have been the greatest sleep of my life."

I raise an eyebrow. "Really, how come?"

"Well, in the past, it's either my dark feelings would keep me up at night or I'd have nightmares about losing you." Fred answers my question. "So knowing that you love me and have you beside me last night…well, it banished those nightmare feelings away."

I frowned. "So when I'm not there with you, the nightmares would come back."

He nods sadly. "I'm afraid so darlin," Then he shook his head with a smile. "You know what, I don't know why I brought that up, oh well, time to get you to the school."

Slowly he pulled in away from the trees and started to walk me to my car. I thought about it and I guess I really felt bad for him. No wonder he hated mornings so much because he never got sleep in the first place. And to think it was because of his feelings for me that he barely got any sleep each night. But now there was a simple way that he could get other hours of sleep, if I just slept next to him, he would be fine. That wasn't a bad request but I knew that the X-Men were not going to approve. But then again, right now it really didn't matter to me what the X-Men like or don't like. Right now I just wanted to make Fred happy, after all, it was the least I could do after all these years of hurting him.

We were just by my large silver truck, when I looked but at him. "Hold on Freddy," He looks down at me in surprise. "You know what, I'd like hanging out with you today and maybe even spend the night."

He regarded carefully. "Are you sure Lily?"

I smile at him. "Yes."

"Well, ok if your sure." He smiled and kissed my cheek. As he got into the passenger side of the car, I walked around and hopped into the drives sit. Soon I pulled out of the parking lot and turned into the street.

It was then when I realized something. I scowled at Freddy. "You told me the whole nightmare bit on purpose didn't you because you knew I would cave."

His eyes were filled with humor but he was blushing like crazy. "Sorry baby."


	26. Chapter 25: Wolverine Hunt and Sentinels

Chapter Twenty-five

Wolverine Hunt and Sentinels

A few weeks passed where nothing really happened. I would spend the night with Fred every night that I could mange. At first it was a little dangerous because of Wanda but after Freddy managed to throw her around the room a little, she shut up. Silver will never give up on making my life miserable even if Fred does his best. But after a little time, Lance and Toad really just left it alone, which made Silver mad. Oh well, sooner or later he will live with it. Other then the Brotherhood being weird, Fred and I couldn't be any closer. We always spend as much time together possible and do our best to keep our team mates happy. Fred's group was easier than mine, the Brotherhood simply just don't care, but the X-Men see this as a big problem. Since Logan was still missing, my team mates wanted me to help find him. Of course I did the best that I could but apparently that wasn't going enough according to Scott. Going back to a happy note, I told my parents about my new lover and they were very pleased. When I told John the good news, he told me that he was going to meet up with the two of us the Brotherhood house strait away.

And of course, my uncle was good on his word, seeing that he'll be visiting today. The mouths were turning more into summer as we get into April. Almost a full mouth has passed since I told Fred about our love. Fred and I were all alone in the Brotherhood house, seeing John was coming to visit. We got the house looking as nice as possible and after that we snuggled on the couch, watching TV.

He kissed my hair line. "I think John is going to have a heart attack."

I nudged him in the chest. "Oh please, I think John will be able to handle this."

"Oh I don't know, he's been waiting for this moment for a few years now." Fred raised an eyebrow; an all knowing air came to his voice. "So if he faints, you know why."

I rolled my eyes. "Okay, if you say so all wise one." And he was right I should know, this was one of the first things that he told me the night we fell in love. This time that I've spent with him has been so magical. I never thought I would be dating my best friend but I know that those feelings have long since pasted. The two of us try to go out to dinner or see movies but it's a little hard for Freddy. After a while, after mangers simply wouldn't let him in over his size, we took different approaches. We've taken walks by the nearby lake, late night walks through the woods when the moon is full in the sky, and even go on picnics and go swimming. When we don't want to go outside, we would either cook something or order take out and just watch movies. Then when the day is done, we would go up to Fred's room and get some sleep. I had never done anything like this with Silver and even if I did, Fred always made it very special.

"Damn right I'm wise," He growled playfully. "And don't you forget it."

I placed a small kiss on his lips. "Wouldn't dream of it sweetheart."

Fred sighed in delight. "Speaking of something sweet, I'd better get the cookies." Giving me another quick kiss, he got up to go to the kitchen.

"I can't believe that you really made cookies." I called after him.

He turned to wink at me. "Not just any cookies darlin, there sugar cookies for my sweetheart."

I sighed dramatically. "You are so corny." Giggling, I fall back on the couch and make myself comfortable.

"Love you to baby." Fred chuckled and disappeared in the kitchen.

"I love you more." I called.

I could hear him laugh a hearty laugh. "I'd begged to differ Lil'."

"Oh ya tough guy, prove it!" I teased.

Soon after Fred returned with a fresh plat of white sugar cookies and had a container of white frosting in the other hand. Placing the frosting container gently on top of the cookies, he lifted my legs up and sat down, letting my legs lay on his lap. Taking the cap off the frosting, he dipped in a massive finger and put frosting on my nose. "Oh you dork," I say softly and lick the frosting away.

He smiles at me affectionately. "And you love dorks."

I sit up and bring my lips up to his, not kissing him but just letting my lips barley touch his. He took in a deep breath, by now I know how to tease him. To almost make him beg for a simple touch, did I like doing that to him, no not really. But it felt good to have the power to do anything and Fred would turn to jelly. "I also love big, strong men who really know how to throw their weight around."

Placing the cookies and frosting on the floor, Fred leans forward, slowly pressing me to the couch. "Oh, I know how to throw my weight around."

I giggle. "I know, that's why I said it silly."

Now that he had me fully pressed to the couch and on top of me as he kissed my lips softly. I noticed that he was propping himself up little with his elbows. He must be trying to keep a lot of his weight off me so he didn't hurt me. "Or you love to complement me." With that being said, Fred pressed his lips against mine again in a deep, longing kiss. As my hands went through his hair, I could feel his hands on my waist and tracing the lines of my body. After the little exploring with his hands, he rested them in my hair as his lips now lingered on my jaw.

I take a beep, relaxing breath. "Where did you learn to kiss like this?"

"Hum," He pondered that statement for a moment as his lips were on the hollow of my throat. First Fred kissed the gothic rose that was laying there. He hasn't made me promise to always to wear it or anything but I made myself promise to always wear it. This always made Fred happy, knowing that I loved his gift of love so much. Then he moved the rose away slightly so he could press his lips to the skin underneath. "I have no idea," Fred finally answered, pulling away from my skin and looked into my eyes. "But you're not complaining are you?"

I reach up to brush my lips against his again. "Nope, are you?"

"Nope," He echoed my answer with a smile.

"Well, isn't this a sight." I looked away from Fred and over to see that a man was standing in the door way, looking at us. "How it warms my heart."

I can feel my cheeks burning with embarrassment. "Uncle, what…what are you…I mean, how…"

That's when Fred looked over his shoulder to see if John was really there. When he saw John, Freddy tensed and looked a little uncomfortable. "How long have been standing there?" Freddy managed to say as he started to sit up.

John shook his head. "Oh not too long, I just didn't want to disturb your moment and please son," I don't think I've ever heard John call Fred his son before. Sure, John has always implied that Fred was his son but never used the word. At least, I never heard my uncle use it before. "You don't need to get up."

It looked like Fred was not expecting John to call him son either because he froze for a moment in shock. My uncle on the other hand walked into the room and took a seat in the chair across the room. He took a deep breath. "I never thought you two would get to this point."

I cleared my throat and started to get up. "Well, glad you're happy John." I shoved Fred in the shoulder. "I would like to sit up now honey."

It took Fred a moment but he finally let me up and he glanced at John. "You know I could call you a nut case for before, just standing there watching us make out."

I hit him on the shoulder. "Freddy, John's not a nut job."

"But he does have a point," John cut in before Fred could reply to my comment. There was distant look in his eyes when he continued speaking. "It just…after everything that the two of you have been through, it does an old man proud to see you two so happy."

"Uncle," I sigh. "You're not old."

He chuckles. "You're a good girl Aprill, so polite and honest, it'll get you fair in life."

Fred clears his throat. "So what, you here to talk like our father or what?"

John glanced at Fred. "In a way Fred I am your father and Aprill is still my sister's daughter. You can see where this can be weird right."

"Ya I see your point." I said softly and I really could now. Legally, John never adopted Fred but still raised him as his own. Then of course, John was my uncle, my mother's brother and that made me his nieces. In reality, Fred and me being together wasn't wrong, there was no blood between us and no legal paper saying that he was my adopted cousin. But for John, seeing his "son" and nieces dating might be a little weird at the moment. When I looked up at Fred, it looked like he was just thinking the same thing as me.

He frowned at John. "So then, are you happy for us or just weirded out?"

I glared up at Fred again. "Your every blunt today."

A small defensive tone crawled into his voice. "I'm just trying to find out was he wants gal."

"And I do have something for the both of you," John said before I could spit out a retort. Slowly he stood from the chair and walked over to us. Reaching into his packet, he produced a small box and then, standing right in front of Fred, leaned forward and whispered something in his ear. I could have easily could have heard what my uncle was saying but I choice to let it be.

Fred pulled away a few moments later and the small box was slipped into his hand. "No John couldn't take…"

"Yes you can my son," John said softly and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Do the one thing that I haven't done yet in this immortal life of mine."

"But John," Fred still protested, looking down at the small box in his hands, panic written all over his face.

"When the time is right Fred," He smiled and then turned to me, placing a kiss on my forehead. Even if he was looking at me, his words were still for Fred. "It'll be a long road ahead, I can just tell but I'm sure that you two will figure this out."

I blinked at my uncle. "Um…John what did you just…?"

"You'll see Aprill, in good time," Then he shrugged his shoulders. "Well, I wish that I could stay longer but I need to meet your mother and father. I'll visit again soon." With that, John gave me a hug and patted Fred on the shoulder, a smile on his face. Once my uncle closed the door, I looked up at Fred and was going to ask what just happened but he was already getting up.

"Fred, what is it that John just gave you?" I asked as he walked up the stairs to his room.

Fred turned to me with a small smile. "I want to tell you baby, really I do. But John wants me to save it till just the right moment."

With the most confused look on my face, I watched Fred continue up the stairs and hid that small box.

"Shit, I can't believe that I'm late." I curse to myself as I run through the mansion. It was a few days after the weird with my uncle and I still don't know what that little box was about. I've asked Fred at least once every time that I see him but he still won't tell. I know that he really wants to and he even says that he really wants to but John wants him to wait. I swear, I think that my uncle was losing his mind. Anyway, the professor was have a training session and I was so late. He was training us so that we could be ready for Magneto, which was crazy. I don't really know why the professor is all of the sudden really wanting to know about where Magneto is. Somehow, when Logan disappeared so did Creed and according to the professor without Creed we can't find Magneto.

"Ya, the professor is crazy these days." I finally made it to the elevator and pressed the button to get the training floor. As I the elevator got closer and closer to the floor, I heard yelling.

"What the hell are they doing here!" I knew that voice anywhere, Scott having a fit.

"They will be helping us Scott," That was the professor's voice. "I know that you don't…"

"No, not just me professor," Scott growled. "None of us want to work together with them."

It was the voice that answered Scott that shocked me. "Looks like you guys need a new team leader."

The elevator came to a close and as the doors opened Scott yelled. "You want the job rock tumbler then you can have it," Scott pulled away from Lance and marched over to where I was standing. "I'm done with…" Then he saw me there and paused. "Oh hey Lily didn't see you there."

"I know," I said dryly. "I just walked in, now would someone mind telling me what the hell is going on."

"We're going to be working together." I looked over and saw that Silver was here to. He didn't look happy to be here. "Doesn't this bring back old memories?"

"Real shitty ones yes." I snapped at him.

He just smiled. "My thoughts exactly."

"Lily," I looked over and found that my boyfriend was walking toward me. "Isn't this awesome, we'll be…"

But he never got the chance to finish. Shocked that he was here, really here, and that he was now going to join up made me pissed. Raising my hand, in a quick flash I slap him across the face. "How dare you!"

Turning on my heel, I run to the elevator and push the button to get out of the training floor. Minutes later I was out of the elevator and ran through the mansion with tears in my eyes. I didn't want to hit him, there was no real reason for it but there still was a reason. I've been trying for weeks…no months for him to join the X-Men and now he has with his Brotherhood pals. What the hell could Lance or Silver or Toad or even Wanda have ever said that changed his mind? I thought that what I said, my views and believes mattered to him but I guess not.

"APRILL," It was really hard not to hear his already booming voice being yelled through the mansion. "Aprill, come back!"

I burst through the mansion's front doors and wanted to be anywhere but here. As I was in mid air, flying over the stairs, something collided into me and brought me to the ground. I growl. "Got off me, I don't want to talk right now."

His arms tighten around me and he slowly sat down on the steps of the mansion. "Baby please don't be mad at me, I…"

"You what," I turn to look at him. "After all of the effort I've put in to bring you to this school, you say no. But god forbid, when you won't do it for your girlfriend, you'll do it for your pals."

"Aprill, please, let me…"

"Just let me go I don't want to be touched right now."

He stiffened; I have never said that him and I was betting that it hurt him to hear me say it. I saw in his face that he was really fighting a mental war. Either let me go or keep me here to talk and I didn't like when he said. "No, not until we…"

"God damn it Fred will you just…"

"I'm not going to let you walk away from me again Aprill," The depression, pleading in his voice made me stop moving and look up into his face fully. He took a shaky breath. "I disserved that, you slapping me, but if I lose you…" Fred raised a hand to his throat, like it was really hard for him to breath. "You might as well shoot me, kill me, get it over with."

I sigh. "Fred, what does this...?"

"Don't you think that I would have told you about this," His words pleading with me. "I've promised to be honest with you and I am when I say, I don't know why we were sent here."

"Oh you are such…" I pause and then my eyes widen. "Wait, you don't know why you're here."

He shook his head. "Silver told us we were going to help you guys, why that is I couldn't tell you because they haven't told me."

I blinked at him. "They haven't told you," He nodded. "And why the hell would they do that, you're the pure muscle of their team, won't they want to keep you in the loop. You know, keep you on their side."

He shrugged. "Once you left and Wanda came into the picture, they don't listen to what I say anymore."

"Then why don't you leave," I pleaded with him. "Why can't you just leave and come to the school, us being together would be so much easier…"

"I can't Aprill," He told me for the millionth time. "You know why I can't."

"Would you please stop trying to protect me in every damn way possible!" I snarl at him. "You love me, if anything happened to me you couldn't live with yourself, I get that. But you don't need to put yourself in danger to do it."

He places a hand on my cheek. "It's my life and I had chosen this path years ago Lily. I want to do everything in my power to keep you safe," Fred kissed my forehead. "To keep you with me."

I shake my head and pull out of his arms. "Then why don't you do what I ask for once." Not waiting for answer I walked around him and back into the mansion. That was cold of me and I didn't want to do that. I love him, I've never really been sure of anything more in my life and I didn't want it to fall apart. But this whole topic with him almost killing himself for me was always a hard topic to talk about. And at the moment, that back there was the first fight that we've had in weeks. As I turned the corner to head to the girls dorm, something gripped my shoulder and pinned me to the wall. I saw a flash of brown and growled. "Fred…"

But it was too late, pressing me firmly against the wall with his body, he crushed his lips to mine. His traced mine, begging me to let him in but I didn't give in. After a few moments, a whimper crawled into his throat and then managed to grip my lower lip with his teeth. Then he bit down and the sudden sharp pain made me gasp. Once my mouth was open Fred let my lip go and replanted his lips against mine. I was ready for the rough, owning kissing, ready to kill him but…they never came. No tongue or moaning or groaning, just soft, gentle touches. It's his way of saying I'm sorry, so so sorry.

Slowly he pulled away and nudged me with his nose. His brown eyes were pleading with me. "Please, please, oh please Aprill forgive me. I'm sorry, so sorry for upsetting you. Just please, please Lily don't leave me." I stayed silent, not knowing what to say to him. Of course when I didn't say anything, he panicked even more. He was like a stray puppy, no matter how many times you'd send it away or walk away, it would still come back and beg for a loving home. I guess you could say, for him, I was his home and if I send him away or walk away, he'd come back every time and beg to come to his loving home. His eyes sparkled with pain. "Please say something darlin, I'll do anything to prove…"

"Then leave the Brotherhood." I say softly and at first he didn't look like he heard me.

But when he was sure that I said something, his face paled. "Aprill…I…I can't…"

"Then there is nothing you can do." I said sadly. With that, I let me form slip into a fly and flow away from him. Once I was few feet away from him and he couldn't see me, I turned in my fly form to see him crumble to the floor. His eyes were blank, looking into nothing when the tears came. Fred's whole frame broke into shudders, his face paled even more and sweat started to coat his face.

"No," He whispered, his voice broken with sobs. "No, I'm…I'm so stupid. Look…look…she's…she's gone." His voice completely shattered then and it didn't just seem to be his voice shattering, his whole being shattered. Shaking his head, he tried to rise to his feet but came right back down to his knees. "Why can't I be happy," He managed to whisper. "Why does this world take happiness away from me?"

My heart shattered, just like his voice. I was still upset with him, didn't see why he couldn't do what I ask but seeing him now, his words of killing himself burned in my mind. I would have probably killed myself by now if it wasn't for you. You're my heart, my soul, my reason for living. Seeing him like this, sobbing and hugging his chest like it burned told me that he was never playing a fake romantic card. He didn't just say those love words because they would melt me but that he meant them, believed in them with everything that he has. I lightly flow down from the air and turned back in my human form. He didn't see me, the fact is I don't think that he saw anything anymore. Taking a deep breath, I walked forward till I could rest a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Freddy," I say, coming down to my knees and hug him around his neck. "I'm sorry…"

He took in a sudden, shaky breath. "Lily?" His hands shot up at once, touching my shoulders and running down my back to see if I'm real.

I tighten my hug around his neck. "I'm sorry baby…"

"Darlin," He whimpered with joy and wrapped his arms around me firmly. "Oh Aprill, you…you came back…I thought…I thought you…"

"I know but I saw how sick looking you got and I…" I shake my head, tears running down my face. "I just couldn't leave you."

"I love you Aprill," He pulled away a little with a smile and kissed my cheek. "You know that right."

I smile back. "Yes I do, and I love you too."

"Jean has picked up on Wolverine," Kurt explained as we suited up. Two days have passed since the news that the Brotherhood members were going to be helping us. Shortly after what happened the other day, the almost breakup, I took Fred up to my room so that he could rest. It was surprising, he lost all of his energy within those short few moments. Once he was on my bed, which groaned under his weight but held, he was out cold. By the time that I was done with more training and brought food back to give to him about five hours later, he was still snoring. I had to gently wake him so that he could eat something. After that, I curled up next to him, like I do in his bed at the house, and fell asleep.

Yesterday was slow, nothing really happened. Everyone was really just training. Jean was with the professor to find Logan, the Brotherhood and X-Men were in the danger room. That included Fred and I, but everyone in the room knows better then go up against him or myself. So it was just me and Fred and training like we did in the old days. Today, however, Jean really did find Logan and now we were on our way out to see if we can find him.

Pulling up my hair in a pony tail, I heard a whisle from the fare end of the room. Even growled. "Yo, what did we tell you, you stay on the Brotherhood side and we'll stay on this side!"

My boyfriend smirks. "I don't give a damn and you know it Spiky." He walks into the room and gently grips my pony tail in his hands when he was in front of me. "Beautiful," He whispers.

Even groans. "God you two are so gross." Then a flash of white passed and there was a smack sound. "OUCH, GOD DAMN IT SPEEDY!" Even yelled his crease and started running after Silver.

Fred shook his head. "I think there's a good reason we are all not on the same team."

I giggle. "Ya, we would all kill each other."

"Ya everyone except you two," I look to see that Silver was standing there for a moment. "While the rest of us are normal and slit throats, you'll be hitting the spare bed room."

Fred's face turned beet red. "Watch it snowy or your throat will be the first to be slit."

"Oh, I'm so scared." Silver laughed and he blurred away with Even still tailing him.

I raise an eyebrow. "You know, one of these days I'm really going to think that he's gay."

Freddy chuckled. "I already have those days, and you know what, I think he likes Duncan."

"What!" Silver blurred back into view right in front of us and looked really pissed. "Did I just hear you right fat…" In that moment, Even shot a spike that landed in the collar of Silvers suit and pushed him back so that he was stuck on the fair wall. He struggled and creased. "God damn it Daniels I'm going to kill you for this, right after I'm done with Spike, your next Dukes!"

Lacing his arm around my shoulders, he started to pull me to the door. "Oh, I'm so scared." Laughing, we both walked out of the locker room and toward the hanger. As we walked along, we passed Lance and Kitty, who were hugging each other and talking in low voices. Fred clicked his tongue. "You know there's a spare room on the fifth floor, second door on the left right."

Lance looked up from Kitty, a distant, dreamy look in his eyes. "Funny I was just asking her about that." He replied in a tone that gave no implication that he was angry or affined. Without another word he turned back to Kitty and whispered more words into her ears.

Fred rolled his eyes as we continued to walk. "And Spike thinks that you and I are gross, Lance looks like he is groping her."

I giggled and bumped him with my hip. "We are gross, just a more lovey dovey way."

He shuttered. "Not that lovey dovey, it's not like you run around calling me Freddykins."

"You don't know that," I smirk. "My Freddykins."

His arm dropped from my shoulders and wrapped it around my waist, pulling me closer to his side. "Don't you dare call me that." Fred growled in a playful warning but I knew that he really, really didn't want me calling him that.

Smiling, I start to skip a little as we walk. "Oh, but there has to be something to call you. Like Freddypoo, or Freddy-wheddy-kins," Then something came to me. "You know if I call you these things, it makes you sound like a teddy bear, oh," I giggle for joy. "That's perfect; I'll call you my Freddy-teddy-wheddy-kins…"

"Oh that's it," With his face red from embarrassment, he lifted me up into his arms and slung me over his shoulder.

I pound my fists into his shoulder blades, which did nothing of course. "Fred, put me down damn it." I scream with laugher.

He laughs at my struggle. "I don't think so young lady, your grounded for calling me that."

I snort. "What are you, my father or my boyfriend?"

Fred chuckles. "Your boyfriend you silly goose,"

"Then you're the weirdest boyfriend in the world." I roll my eyes and stop my struggle.

"Love you to darlin." He said softly.

I relax a little on his shoulder. "Love you to Trucker."

Chuckling, he continues to walk forward and didn't look like he was going to put me down. I just shook my head; it was just so easy to be relaxed with him. Seeing that I've known him all my life, I don't have to worry about him doing something that would be uncomfortable. I don't have to worry too much about anything really bad to happen, seeing that I knew how he thinks. And I bet that it's the same way for him. Nothing seems to really surprise him and I don't think that anything really should. A few moments later, a few of the students run in Fred path which made stop for a moment. Bobby was running after Magma and after the two of them was young Multiple. When the little boy saw Fred standing there with me slung over his shoulder, he puffed up his chest and tried to act brave. "Put her down you brut!" He did sound a little brave but his voice was still a little shaky.

Fred sighs and bumped my knee with his hand. "Doesn't the kid know about us now?"

I look over to my shoulder to see Multiple and I sigh. "Multiple we've been over this, Fred's my boyfriend now, and he's not going to hurt me."

"Well, if he's your boyfriend then why are you over his shoulder like a hunted deer?" The boy asked weakly.

I shook my head. "A silly joke between the two of us," I elbow his shoulder. "I think it's time to put me down now baby."

He grunted. "Good plan," Gently, Fred gripped my waist and lifted me off of his shoulder like I was a rag doll.

Once on my feet, I turn to Multiple and pat him on the shoulder. "Don't worry so much about me ok. I'll be alright, now run along and play ok."

He paused for a moment, thinking over what I just told him. Then with a sigh, he gives Fred a warning look. "I'm watching you," With a little squeak of fear he runs off after Bobby and Magma.

"I swear that kid has a crush on you." Fred commented as he took my hand in his and started walking again.

I shrug. "Guess so, looks like you have a love rival Mr. Dukes."

He laughed. "I guess so but I'm not too worried, he's too young for you anyway."

I laugh with him. "Right, I prefer big husky men, what was I thinking?"

"You could have fooled me," Fred winked at me. "Silver isn't husky or big, let alone a man for that matter."

I wink back. "Well then, it looks like you changed my taste in men."

"Alright that's enough you two," I just noticed that we made it to the hanger and it was Hank that cut in to our flirting. I remember when he was just my science teacher but then Hank when under his mutation, the one that he's been holding back for years. Now, he preferred to walk like a ape and was covered in blue fur like Kurt. Beast as he was called now has a big heart and doesn't have a problem with Fred and me. In fact I think he really loved the idea of the two of us together. "So now that you guys are here, I can place you into your teams." He continues with a smile. "Aprill, you'll be going with the Professor and Storm in the X-jet. Fredrick, you'll be joining me and your fellow members in the spare jet. Once we get the spot were Logan is located, you'll be put in even smaller groups to search the area."

I nod. "Understood Beast."

Beast smiled again. "We're just waiting for the others to show, so have a few more moments together before we head out." With a chuckle, Hank walked off to talk to Storm.

Fred kissed my cheek. "I think Hanks loves our love to much."

I return the kiss on his other cheek. "Well, at least he's not yelling at us like Scott is." I let go of his hand as I jump up on my tiptoes so I could hug his neck. "But you're not complaining are you."

"No," He kisses my lips softly. "It's nice not to get yelled at for a change."

"I agree." I say and return his soft kiss.

"Wonderful now everyone is here." I look away from Freddy to see Hank giving the same instructions that he gave us to the last few people of the party. It was Storm was talking this time. "Alright teams, go to your jets and prepare to take off."

"See you on the other side baby." Fred whispers, giving me one last kiss.

I return the kiss and unlace my arms from his neck. "Don't do anything stupid.

"I don't get it," Rogue said with a frown. "Where the heck are they?"

I shrugged. "I have no idea." We had all just landed in the abandoned warehouse yard by the lake front about a half hour ago. There are four large metal spheres in the center of this place but they were empty. We were told to all go out and see what we could find. Me and Fred weren't in the same group, he was with the other Brotherhood members and I was with Even, Kitty and Rogue. I couldn't smell Magneto, any of his followers, or Logan anywhere in the yard but we all still had to keep looking.

Soon, we met up with Jean's group to compare what we found. "Find anything yet you guys?" Jean asked us.

"Nothin," Rogue answered. "The place seems to be life less."

I shook my head. "I don't get it, those ship type things must be Magneto's."

Even shrugged his shoulders. "It looks like we are going to be at this for a while."

That was when I heard a gentle buzzing sound. I looked around over head to find what was making that sound but I didn't see anything at first. "Hey what is that?" Jean asked and I looked over to see something gently float between us. I looked at it very closely, it was a about the size of a good sized note card…no it was a playing card. My eyes narrowed as I took in what was on it and I saw that it was a queen of hearts. It was also it that moment that I saw that it was on fire or rather glowing with energy.

With a gasp, I gripped the card. "Get down!" Taking a firm grip, I flow the card and when it hit something, it exploded. As the smoke cleared, I the patter of feet and was then face to face with a tall man. Holding a melt staff, he pushed me back from the others and throws more cards from his pockets. There was something about the man that was familiar. He has long brown hair, a handsome face, a few inches taller than me and his eyes…red eyes surrounded by black. The hit me like a train. "Gambit!"

He smiles at me. "I told you that you weren't going to forget that name Cherie." His smile turned into a smirk when he throws another card at me. Moving away from the blast, I lung forward and he blocked me with his staff. Pushing away from him again and moving away from another card, I spring back at him and he blocked again. This time I stayed perched on his staff and he grinned at me, his red eyes sparkling with humor. "You look well my girl, everything well with mon ami?"

I roll my eyes. "I'm sure that you know that were dating now."

Gambit just smiles at me. "Indeed, mon ami loves talking about his Cherie." With a grunt, he heavies me off his staff and I fly in mid-air and land on the ground a few feet away from him.

"Where is Magneto Gambit!" I hiss at him.

"Oh, he's around." He smirked and throws another wave of cards.

I growl. "Do you ever run out of these," I managed to grip on and throw it back at Gambit. It didn't hit him but it blow up right in front of him, making him fall back a few feet. I couldn't help but laugh at that. In those few moments as the smoke slowly cleared, I looked around to see that everyone was fighting now. Beast was in growling and trying to get a hold of Sabortooth, Strom was throwing thunder at a young man who was throwing fire and Toad was tall metal man. "Who the hell are your friends Gambit?"

In that moment, the smoke was cleared and Gambit was now standing on his feet again. Once again h was smiling at me. "Fire boy there is Pyro, and that tall man over there is Colossus but as you can see, they are harmless."

I would say that about Pyro but that Colossus was taller than Fred and speaking about my boyfriend, he was charging Colossus. I was about to run after him and stop him but Freddy run full force into the tall man and was able to push him back.

"Impressive isn't he, Cher." Gambit inquired

"My boyfriend or Colossus," I look back a Gambit with a question in my eyes.

He laughs at me. "Mon ami of course Cher."

I roll my eyes. "Yes Gambit, Freddy is impressive."

He laughs at me. "Well, he isn't called the unmoveable for nothin."

I snort and run at him again. Gambit was a step of me and moved out of the way. But I was able to nick him in cheek with my boot. "He's the strongest mutant you guys have," I say as I turn around lung at him once again. "If you're guys are going to keep him then you have to at least keep him informed."

He blocks my fists with his staff and jumps back a little bit. "When he is so close to you cher, I don't think that would be wise."

"And why not," I snarl and move away from another card. "You would think that Magneto would want a leg up on the X-Men."

Gambit chuckled. "Now see the weird thing is…these ideas are coming from you."

I roll my eyes again. "Oh please, it's not like it's that hard to figure out what he wants."

"How about I put it to you this way Aprill," Gambit grins and planted his staff into the ground so he could lean into it. "If his plans were so clear cut that a monkey could figure it out, then why are you asking me what he is up to or better yet, you remember Camp Red Wood don't you."

I spit on the ground impatiently, we were just standing here and talking. "What about it."

"You should have figured out somewhere in your stay there, Magneto wanted to get Cain on our side but that never happened, now did it." Gambits voice drop a little and that's when I heard more of his…French maybe accent.

"Carly said that he was missing."

"Maybe for the rest of you," He tells me simply. "But Cain was fair away from lost. And we also knew that if we knew where Cain was, so would you X-Men. So we had to have something in place to keep all of you busy."

"So you lied to the Bayville Brotherhood, just to keep the X-Men off your tails." I snarled.

"Oh don't take it to personally," Gambit laughed. "After all, we didn't keep you kids with nothing to do, and you should be thanking us…"

"Why the hell would I do that!" I yelled.

Gambit gently smiles at me. "You really think that your sister and brother fallow you around all the time, heaven forbid no. You see Tigerlily, if it wasn't for us, you never would have met the rest for your family."

"And there fallowing the Kingpins ways, that making me so proud." I hiss.

Gambit shakes his head, brown hair flying in his eyes. "You would make a wonderful villain Tigerlily, you have so much of your father's old blood in you. It's sad that you have to act on your mother's blood instead."

"That's good, if I was like what my father was, I'd shoot myself." I growl at his words.

"Glad to hear it now," Gambit looked over his shoulder and I could see him smile. I look over with him and I saw that he was staring at Rogue. "If you don't mind Aprill, I have a different Cherie to speak to."

"Wait, what…" I start to say but Gambit was already running away. "Gambit!" I yell after him but he was already long gone.

"Aprill look out!" I look just in time see what Beast was warning me about, Creed was advancing on me.

"You're mine Fisk." Creed growled, and then at full force he slammed into me. Pinning me to the ground, he bares his teeth at me and his saliva grips on my cheeks. "I've been waiting for this princess."

My teeth started to shape themselves into sharp points when I bared my teeth also and a tigers growl ripped throw my chest. "Funny, so have I." In a fast motion, I react up and bit the muscles of his upper arm. His blood pooled into my mouth and it was so filthy, it was almost like poison.

Creed howled in pain. "Get off me!" He raised his hand and with his long yellowing claws, started to cut at my face. At once I let go of Creed with beep cuts in my cheek and now were slowly healing themselves. "You're just like your mother, a bitchy little slut…"

I still had a lot of his blood in my mouth and when he said that, I sit it all over his face and kick him off me. "Don't you ever call my mother a slut!"

"Oh," Creed snarled as he wiped his blood from his face. "I'll call her whatever I damn well feel like…" He was cut off when Beast finally came running over and brawled into Creed.

"Lily," I look up to see that Freddy was running over. "I just saw Creed on you, are you…" Then he saw all the saliva and blood on my face and he paled. "What did he do to you?"

I smile and I knew that there was going to be blood on my teeth. "It's more like what I did to him, I bit him."

He just shakes his head at me. "You bit him, gal that is so wrong."

I slowly rise to my feet again. "Ya but totally bad ass right?"

"Just brush your teeth and mouth wash before I kiss you next." He was still shaking his head but he was laughing now.

"Fair enough," I say and spit some more blood out of my mouth. "And I don't plan on doing that again."

Fred smiles. "That's a good thing."

"It's Magneto!" Me and Fred look over to see that it was Storm that made the call from the air. I looked around to see that Beast was no longer with Creed and the other had seemed to disappear also. "Let's getting moving everyone." With a nod, I ran off after the others with Fred at my heels. But we didn't even get half way out of the yard when the ground started to shake.

"What's going on?" Jean yelped as she was placed down on her knees. But no one could answer her, none of us had any idea what was going on. Within a few moments, the ground started to split and my friends started to fall in the earth.

"No," I try to get air born but I still could get my footing, I couldn't fly after my friends. Soon the ground the spit under my feet I found myself falling.

"I got you." I look to see that Fred was falling beside and took hold of me. Once I was in his arms, everything went dark and all I could hear was all my friends screaming.

What wake me up was the groans from my friends. Slowly I open my eyes to find myself still in Fred's arms. He was knocked out under me as we laid together in the rubble. I shake his shoulders, worried that he could be hurt. "Are you okay baby?" I ask him softly.

With a groan he opened his eyes and smiled softly. "I've felt better days."

"Where are we," I say to myself as I look around the room. It was covered like metal, almost like a military base and I could the buzz from the computers. There was a platform about twenty feet over our heads and men in black suits started to fail in. As I look around at my friends to see if they were ok, I could hear the loading of guns.

Fred slowly sits up with me still in his arms. I could feel his muscles ball up and pulse with power. He was tense and kept a protective hold on me. "I don't know gal but I don't like the guns."

I shivered. "Me neither."

"Everyone keep still." Storm commanded us.

"Who wants to move yo." Toad said in a shaky voice.

That is went a new voice rang out. "Stand down men." I look up again to see if I could find the man giving the orders but I couldn't see him, it was too dark. Slowly I could hear the men lower their guns and wait for the next order. This was so strange, it was either that they were going to help us or do something to hurt us. Fred's arms never loosened from me when I started to a loud thud noises.

"That sounds like," I whisper

"Footsteps." When those words came from Fred's lips, I shivered and his hold tightened.

"Men," Then commander of the troop howled. "Fall back." And just like that I stared to hear the men turn around and walk away. Everything was silent as the footsteps grew louder and louder. We all sat there and waited to see what the footsteps belonged to. At first I thought it was going to be Cain, after all, why would Gambit bring him up. I looked up at Fred's face and saw that he was looking down at me. Neither of us knew what it was and the fear was clear in his eyes. There was another loud sound and I looked back to see a large metal door open. And the first thing that I saw was two large glowing eyes. Lowly a giant melt man stepped into the light and he had to at least fifty feet tall but even then I did know off hand. Painted a verity of reds and purples, the giant pointed its yellow glowing eyes down eyes at us and it sent shivers down my spine.

"Multiple unrequested mutants have been bedecked," The giant's voice was metallic and deep that sent cold fear into my heart. "Commencing capture." With that the giant took another step toward us and Fred was about to get up to confront the monster when there was a loud creaking sound.

"What is happening!" I looked up to see that the captain was still standing up there and was looking down on us. With a loud booming sound, the floor that we were sitting on started to raise in the air. At first I was glad, that we would be away from the giant but…I was so wrong. The giant was on the plate form as it rose in the air. "No!" Was thing that hear the captain say as we started working its way to the surface. Within moments we were all in the yard again only this time we had an unwanted visitor.

"Everyone fall back." Beast growled as the giant walked forward. But no matter how fair we moved away from that thing, it still moved onward. I was running out of ideas, there didn't seem to any real away to hide from this thing. It somehow knows that we are all mutants, and I would bet money that track us if we tried to hide. I looked over and found that Storm had flown into the air and shot thunder at the giant. The monster fell back a step or two but the thunder did seem to do anything more. Like the giant was frustrated with us, it flicked it's arms and made all these weapons appear. The same thing happened in his chest and when all the weapons were pointed at us, they started to fire.

"Run!" Hank howled and we all ran away from the blasts.

"Don't leave my side Lily," Fred told me. "We're a better force when we are together."

I look up at the giant and thought quickly. Spikes and thunder was getting shot at still but they all missed. Jean was mentally throwing things at the robot that made it fall back. There must have to be something, anything that would be able to slow it down. That's when I saw the pips coming out of its shoulders. They aren't that big but enough to get something in there. That's when it hit me. "Give me a boost."

Fred looked at my oddly for a moment but then look where I was looked and frowned. "No way…"

"What other choices do we have," I almost snarl at him. "Just please Blob, do it."

After a long pause, Fred just shook his head and griped my waist. With a grunt, he spun around like he going to throw a discs and sent me flying. "Fred what are did you just do." Heard Jean yell Fred for what he just did. "Just trust her red." Is all that I heard Fred say a I grow closer to the giant. I moved away from the beams of energy being shot at me and managed to land on its left shoulder. The giant turned it head to see me and winked. Then I took the form of a small mouse and dived into the pipe. Once it side, it was hard to find any cords to pull and knew that I couldn't stay in this place to long. Taking in a deep breath I let my form grow again. The metal groaned as turned into my new form. With a powerful shove of my shoulders, I burst out of the giants shoulder and roared like tiger I had become.

"Holy shit, I forgot that she could do that." Lance looked up at me in amazement.

Fred laughed. "Go baby, kick it's ass."

Growling, I round on the giants and lunged. But that's when things went wrong. The giant took hold of me in its massive melt hand and pulled me off his shoulder. Then I was thrown toward the ground and hit Fred square in the chest. He was not seeing this coming and was pushed back till he hit a car. Groaning, I go back to human form and shake his shoulders. "Freddy, Freddy are you ok, get up, get…"

"Aprill look out." Before I could even turn to see what was going on behind me, an invisible hand pulled me away from Fred.

"NO!" I screamed and struggled against Jean's grip but it was too late. A large mass of green like slim flying at where I was just at with Fred and he didn't even open his eyes before it hit him. Fred struggled at it surrounded him but he was powerless and the slim closed around him fully, paralyzing him. Once I was by Jean side I snarl at her. "How dare pull me away, look at what that thing has done to Fred!"

"I had no choice…" She started to explain.

"Bullshit." I howled and turned to the giant that started all this. "That thing is mine."

"No Aprill don't!" It was Storm who gave the order but I didn't listen. I flow up in the air and stair for the giant. But my mind clouded with rage and I couldn't concentrate that well and moving away from attacks. I did okay for the first few moments but then the giant hit me to the ground and raised a gun at me. I was ready from the blast but it never came, that same green slim shot out hit me at full speed. As soon as it touched me, it move quickly so move around me. I tried to break free but there was nothing that helped me out. Just like Fred just moments ago, I was powerless as the green slim consumed me and I blacked out.

Fred's view point

Everything was cold, dark and I couldn't move my limbs. I had to break free, I had to get at Aprill, she needs my help. My heart pounded against my rib crag and my lungs filled with fire, Aprill, my beloved, I just had to get to her. But nothing I did moved me even a small inch. So with a heavy heart I had to let myself relax and wait for the moment to come to me. Who ever made that robot to come and get us was going to pay if they hurt my girl. In my mind, those people would die if they so much as laid an eye on her. That girl is my life, my love and I swore to myself years ago to keep her safe. Even if that meant to stay with the Brotherhood, getting that leg up on what Magneto was doing was key to keeping her safe. I know that Aprill calls me crazy for what I'm doing but I hope that one day that she'll understand why.

What seemed like life times, I was starting to gain movement in my limbs. Light was also starting to break away at the dark. I blinked my eyes and everything was light green color. I was incased in some kind of green rock and it was cement. I noticed that there were men in white coats sawing away at the green rock and some of the rock was gone from my right elbow. I waited, they need to get more of the rock away so I could burst free. It was funny how they wanted to break me free so badly, didn't they have any idea how powerful I am. Another inch of rock broke away from my skin and I felt my power ball up in my muscles. Just one more inch, one more heart beat and then I will be with my Lily again. Just…one…more…

Yes! With a grunt, I flexed my right arm and the rock started to crack. With another flick I broke my right arm free. I flicked my fingers, enjoying the free movement and then I balled up my fist. As I punched away at the rock, I pushed up with my shoulder and created my cracks. By now I could hear the lab men panic at what they were seeing me do. This was to slow, they could re-prison me if I don't move faster. I thought about Lily, seeing her in the hands of these people…possibly being held in a cage, tortured and cry for help…these heart sickening images gave me strength. Raising my right fist, I throw all I had into slamming into the rock and shattering it. A fire burned in my stomach, I must find her and as I looked around the room…she was nowhere to be seen. Growling, I turned to the men that were cutting me free. I grip the closest one by the collar and brought him nose to nose with me.

"Where is she?" I growled.

The short man trembled in my hand. "She…who…what girl…"

I was inches way from gripping his throat. "A sixteen year old girl, long dark brown hair and blazing blue-green eyes, now…" I gripped his throat and watched him struggle. "You'll tell me where your keeping her or else."

He gasped. "Or else what?"

I smirked dangerously and loosened my grip a little. "Well, you better pray to god that you don't go to hell."

The man paled and said in a panicked whisper. "Look, I don't know about this girl. All I know is that one of your females was being very dangerous. They had to take her…"

"Where god damn it?" I yelled, my voice ringing throw the room over the X-Men break free from the chambers. "Where are you monsters keeping my girl?"

"Your girl," The man's eyes widened. "Your mate…"

"Oh for god's sake!" I growled in frustration and throw the man across the room. I turned on the other men hiding in the corner by the door. "Move you morons." With a jump the men moved away from the door as I open it and walked out. Once shut, I busted the lock and walked to where some of the X-Men were handling the other people in this place. I was going to ask if they knew where Aprill could have been when I heard a chilling voice.

"The time for fun and games is over people let's move." I turned to see my teacher standing there in all her evil glory. Her eyes turned to me and narrowed. "Blob, so glad to see you are unharmed, let's get moving."

I was going to protest but in that moment I couldn't bad mouth Mystique but in this moment it would be a bad idea. So I fallowed the others on their way out of this place. We came up to other people of the party and soon we were running to the closest exit. But that's when I noticed that Aprill hadn't joined the party and no one was running in another direction to find her. By the time we got the place we were leaving, I made up my mind.

Once we stopped in the hall and people were starting up the latter, I held open the melt blockage. Mystique howled from behind me. "Blob what are you doing, get over here now!"

I glared at her. "No, not until I find Aprill."

"Are you insane, we will come back for her but right now we must…"

"Go to hell Mystique," I growled at her and opened the blockage fully. "I'm not leaving Aprill here, I'm going to find her…even if it kills me." Without looking back I pushed myself forward and ran down the hall. I busted throw other blockages as I looked for any clues as to where to go. The first few moments really seemed hopeless, without a map of some kind I don't really have any way to find her. But I wasn't going to give up, I've never given up on Aprill and I wasn't going to start now.

"OUCH!" I stop dead in my tracks, did I really just hear that scream. But it sounded like it was coming from a TV or something. I continue forward and find myself in front of wall full of TVs. This must be one of the smaller control panels, now I'm getting somewhere. I look over all the screens, trying to see if I could find the one that showed where Lily was being held. "Freddy…" I look sharply to my left and on one of the smallest screens I saw my dear Aprill strapped down on a lab table. The table was facing up right and there was a blond woman standing in front of Lily. This woman seemed to be taking…dare I say it, large amounts of skin off Aprill arms and watched them slowly heal. "Freddy…" Lily whimpered in pain. "Where are you…"

I touched the screen. "I'm right here baby, I'll find you."

"Help me…"That's when she started to cry and then yelled in pain when the woman cut into her. The scream seemed to echo and at once I knew why. She was close, so close that my blood boiled.

"I'm coming Aprill." I yelled back, praying that she could hear me. I run away from the screen and down the hall again yelling her name. "Aprill, Aprill, where are you darlin?"

My heart sank again when no one answered but then. "Freddy…FREDDY!"

"Aprill," My heart jumped. "I'm coming baby."

"Freddy help me."

Soon I stopped at a door that I thought is where her voice was coming from. This got confirmed when I heard her scream again. I growled and slammed my fists into the melt door. My fists kept pounding into the door until I finally made hand holds. Gripping onto the door, I used all my strength to rip the door out of its frame. Once the door was gone, I dropped it to the floor and entered the room.

The woman spun around and saw me there. "Who the hell…"

I lunged forward and gripped her by the throat. "Your worst nightmare you bitch." Snarling, I throw the woman across the room and watched her drop to the fall. She wasn't dead and I wished that she was.

"Trucker…"

I turned back to that pain filled voice and walked over to her. "It's okay baby girl, I'm here." I first broke her wrist cuffs and once they were gone, Aprill fell forward into my chest and gripped onto me for dear life. I kicked off her ankle cuffs next and that's when she crumpled to the ground. "Aprill," I take hold of her and sit with her on the floor. She weakly sat on my lap and hugged me close. Once my arms were fully around her is when she started to cry. I kissed her hair. "Shh, it's okay Aprill, I'm here baby girl. They will never touch you again."

"I thought…I…thought…" Aprill's voice was completely shattered; I've never heard her so broke.

"Of course I'd come for you darlin." I rubbed her back in the way that I knew would sooth her. "I wouldn't leave you behind, never baby, never."

"Oh Freddy," Lily cried. "You should have seen them, look…look at what…" She lifted up her left arm so I could see and sure enough most of the skin was gone and was slowly growing back. Softly bleeding, in some parts I could even see her veins. "They were…were cutting me open…to see…see how I work…"

I kiss her lips softly then, in my own way begging her stop thinking about it. My worst nightmare, they hurt her, scared her soul and made her broken. And I couldn't take it, not my Aprill, my angel, not the strongest person I know had just been tested upon like a animal. Slowly I rise to my feet with her in my arms and pull my lips away from hers. "Come baby, I'm going to take you home."


	27. Chapter 26: The Aftermath

Chapter 26

The Aftermath

Has it really been three weeks after that horrible night? Has it really been that long since I was being cut open? These questions were running through my mind again as I sat on the couch in my parents living room. The world knows about us now, what the word mutant means and it doesn't seem good for any of us. Soon after what happened with the robot, my parents pulled me out of the school to go back home. But I had to beg and plead with them to bring Fred with us. Speaking of him, I looked over to see him standing in front of a window, his back to me. He's been like that lately and I couldn't blame him, he's just as scared as I am. It's been hard for him to look at me without pain in his eyes. Neither of us noticed until we were at the school that not only did the scientists take my flesh, they took my hair to. My waist long hair is now to the middle of my neck. Fred says that he doesn't mind it, says that it's a cute cut for me but he can't fool me. It's not the fact that he truly hates this cut, no I think he would like it more if I got it differently. It's just another reminder about what happened. I try my best not to think about it and do find plenty of things to keep my mind busy but Fred's not like me. He keeps really beep things like this to himself and let's himself drown in them, especially if they have to do with me.

We are alone in the living room this evening and I was trying to find the words to say to help him. But there was still nothing, I've tried since the moment we came to my parents house but Fred just wants to leave it alone. But I can't leave it alone, Freddy is in pain and I can feel it in my bones. I cleared my throat. "Freddy," I called gently to him and he didn't move at first. "Freddy dear," I sighed, a little more plead in my voice.

I heard his deep voice then. "Yes gal." Fred didn't turn to look at me; he still had his back to me and looked out the window.

"It's lonely, sitting here by myself." I say softly. "Would you be so kind to keep me company?"

There was a pause and I knew that he would be debating on what he should do, how to handle this. It's sad to see him like this. Normally he would never debate this, debate the idea of sitting with me and cuddling. But I had to let him do this, there was no point in pushing him.

He sighs. "You win," Fred turns to face me and starts to walk to where I was sitting.

"Hey now, don't make it sound like your being forced." I say when he takes the set next to me.

Fred chuckles. "Oh, I know I'm being forced," He wraps an arm around my shoulders and starts to pull me close. "Your just too tempting to resist."

I purr and push my face into his neck. "You can be quit tempting yourself handsome."

With our bodies pressed together, Fred moaned softly as I continued to purr into his neck. "I love it when you purr babe," His voice trembling with pleasure. "It makes me shiver."

I kiss the lines of his neck. "Everything I do make you shiver."

"Oh Lily," He groans, I could feel his body melt and tremble against me. Fred raises a hand and fists it in my short hair and I sigh at the feel. "I love this, I love what you're doing to me."

I lightly trace my left hand over his chest, which made his breathing deepen. It's been sometime since I was able to make him feel this way. To make him melt and tremble at the fire that burns between us. I purr a little louder and start to nip at his skin. He moaned loudly this time, clearly not caring about being quiet, only caring about what I was doing to him. "You like this also hon."

Fred whimpers. "Yes, oh god yes Lily. Don't stop, _please _don't stop Aprill."

I sit up and place myself so that I'm sitting on his lap. He licks his lips and makes himself more relaxed on the couch. Fred spread his legs out more so that I was better seated on his lap. In doing this I found myself really pressing _myself _againsthim. I've never been this close to any guy before, not even Fred. "Are you alright hon." Fred asks me softly. "You're not uncomfortable with this are you?"

I shake my head. "I wouldn't say that, I've just never had a guy point at me before."

Trucker turns a few shades of bright red. "I'm sorry Aprill, it's just…" He wraps his arms around me and presses me even closer to his body. If I thought that I was feeling his manhood before, I was sure as hell feeling it now. But after the shock passed, I licked my lips, this felt good…really good. "You really turn me on baby."

I sigh with warm pleasure flowing throw my blood. "I think that makes two of us."

"Lily," He looks at me in complete shock but he could see it in my eyes, I was enjoying this. Fred's already pure dark brown eyes darken a few shades and I knew all too well what that meant. His lust, his deepest hungers for me were coming out and this time, I don't think I was going to stop him. "God, you're so beautiful…"

"Freddy," I said through a thick purr and leaned forward to kiss his nose. "You're so good to me."

His eyes sparkled with love for me. "Anything for you baby girl."

"Hmm, you know what," I say as I gently kiss his lips next. "You and I should go on vacation."

Fred returned my kiss just as gently. "Vacation, now that sounds interesting, what do you have in mind hon."

"Hmm, here hold on a moment." I get up from Fred's lap and walk over to the oak desk on the fair side of the living room. I open it up and pull out a thin, long scroll with yellow stained paper. I turn back to Fred with this in my hands. "This is a map that my parents made." I reach the couch and roll out the map on the in-table. Once it was fully opened it looked like a world map that had many red dots on it, at least five in each country. "From what my parents have told me, this map shows all the houses and things that they own."

I think that Fred was trying to count how many red dots there were. "Lily I know that your parents are really rich but this is…." Our eyes met then. "This is crazy."

I shrug. "I guess this is what happens when you are immortal. Most of these are going to be used in the future. Mother and father can't live in Organ forever; they'll need to move around a lot to keep their cover."

"Like that matters now," Fred grunts dryly. "The world knows about us now anyway."

I looked up from the map to look at Fred, great now he was thinking about the government kidnapping us and the robot. "Freddy, let's not talk about that right now…" He turns his face away from me, he's distancing himself from me. "Fred please…."

"What is the point of hiding it Aprill?" He asks me. "The government knows about us now and what they did to you…"

I stand away from the map now. "Fred stop it, there was nothing that either of us could have done about the robot taking us. And as for what they did to me," I shivered at the thought and I moved around the table to sit back down on his lap. My hands were raised so that they were wrapped around his throat gently. "You saved me Trucker and I love you even more for that deed."

"Lily,"

"Please Freddy, be happy that you saved me and that are together." I plead with him. "Let's find a safe place to spend a well deserved vacation, just the two of us."

He raised an eyebrow at me. "Just you and me, with no parents or uncle?" I shake my head to say that they would not be there. "So just you and me at same disserted island or something?"

I smiled at him. "If that is what you want to do. By the looks of this map, we could anywhere."

"Well I wouldn't say that," I look up from Fred to see my father standing in the door way. He was in his finest shoat today because he and mother had big meetings. The shoat was a beep dark blue color with silver buttons.

I bowed my head in respect. "You look very dashing father."

He smiles at me. "Thank you sweetheart, good evening Fredrick."

"Evening sir." Fred says respectfully.

"Now, what is this talk about a vacation my flower?" Father asks me.

"I just thought that it would be nice for me and Fred to go somewhere." I answered.

Father rubbed his chin. "Hmm, well, I think I know just the place for the two of you." He point his finger over a red dot in Ireland. "There is an old castle in the country side in Limerick, Ireland. It was passed down in your mother's father side of the family. It's where your mother and I went for our honeymoon. I'm sure that no one would be able to find you there."

"Oh," My eyes widened. "Is this the castle from the stories that you and mom told me about."

"Yes it is," Fred jumped when he saw my mom come out of nowhere and now standing beside Father. She was in a matching deep blue dress, made of long flowing silk and a string of marble sized opals around her neck. "It was the best place I could think of at the time soon after your father and I were wed."

Father smiled down at my mother and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "And it was a perfect place to be my love."

She returned his smile. "Yes, it really was indeed."

After giving my mother a kiss on the cheek, Father turned back to me and Fred. "Well, your mother and I have a meeting to go to. We wouldn't be back until late so behave you two."

"Of course father," I bowed my head again and Fred did the same. Soon my Mother walked over to give me and Fred a kiss on the forehead. They were out the front door within moments.

"Now," Fred said, I looked up at him and saw that he eyes were dark again. "Where were we beautiful?" Taking hold on of me, he placed me down on the couch and rested above me. He placed his weight where it couldn't hurt me and press his lips to the hollow of my throat. "Oh, I remember now, I was thinkin about what I was going to do to you baby girl."

I shiver at the feeling of his words on my skin as pleasure took over my blood again. "But Freddy," I whisper. "What…what about the…the vacation?"

He laced a trail of kisses up my throat and under my jaw and I groaned at the feeling. I dug my fingers into his shoulders. "That can wait hon," He tells me, and he moaned when I fisted my hands in his blond hair. "I thought you hated the hair baby."

"I don't like the cut that much," I tell him as I run one of my hands down the back of his head and down his neck. "But that doesn't mean that I hate your hair." Soon I had both my hands in the middle of his shoulder blades and dug my nails in he started to nip at my skin.

He gave a deep moan when I started to trace the lines of his upper back and in doing this, he took my bottom lip and bit down. I gasped at the sudden change but didn't stop him as he licked my lip in his mouth. My back arched, pressing myself against his body and I could feel a smile on his lips. Fred pulled away from my lips and licked his own. "That's it baby," He plunged his face back into my neck and I gasped at how hotly he was kissing me now.

I take in another deep breath and try to relax myself, this may feel really good, but I can't let this go on for much longer. "Easy Freddy," I managed to whisper and raised my hand to grip gently onto this neck.

"But Aprill," Trucker pulls away slightly from my neck and shivers a little bit. "We were just getting somewhere…"

I shake my head. "I'm sorry Freddy, but things are getting to hot." That's when he fully raises his head to look at my face and I raised my eyebrow at him. "Freddy, I'm not willing to give myself until I'm married."

He returned my raised eyebrow. "And you think you won't be married to me."

"Maybe," I roll my eyes at his so certain tone. "At this rate there's a good possibility that that it could happen."

Fred took a deep sigh and pushed himself more away from me. "Okay, far enough. We can continue this game later."

"That's what you think," I say with a wink and start to sit up myself. "You'll be lucky to get another kiss tonight at the rate your going."

"Is that so," He shots a playful glare at me. "I think that I can do whatever I want."

"Oh?" I huffed at him. "Well then consider yourself a single man." As I raise from the couch, I stick my tongue out at him.

There is a smile on his face. "I've never been a single man, from day one I've been all yours."

I walk across the room and start to turn on the TV and game systems. "You are such a romantic, those words should be coming from me."

He laughed slightly. "Don't matter, the words still mean the same thing don't they?"

"Ya, I would think so." I replied and popped in the game into the Playstation 3. We spent the next few hours shooting at each other and me beating him at racing games. It was really fun and really relaxing. All the friendly computation put me at ease and sitting so close to Fred was comforting. Fred was properly hitting it on the head when he talked about us getting married. At the rate that we were going, there was that pretty big possibility. It was a little odd to see myself in a flowing white grown and walking down to meet Fred at the altar. But if that ever did happen that was still pretty far into the future yet. Once the games were over, I went into the kitchen and started to make us both dinner. Fred sat at the table and I could hear from the stove his stomach growling.

"Hungry Freddy?" I asked him with a giggle once the garlic bread was in the oven. I turned to see that he was looking like at me. I knew that he was hungry, he hadn't eaten all day yet.

I saw him take in deep breath and he shivered. "Ya I'm starving…." A whimper clawed though his throat then. "Okay, I'm so needy today," He opened and raised his arms for me. "Could you join me over here Aprill, I really want to keep you close."

He wasn't joking, he has been needy for me today but it's not like it bothered me. Personally I thought that it was cute of him, odd, but really cute. The pasta was still going to be a little bit and the same thing with the bread. So it wouldn't hurt to curl up with him. I walked over to him and sat down on his lap. His arms caged me and he pushed his face into my neck. I took a deep breath and relaxed, it was nice to not have X-Men or Brotherhood around to stop us. The whole mansion was quiet, the gentle bubbling sound from the pot on the stove and the smell of garlic butter in the air. The last time that I was in this giant house was when I was five. Not much had changed; all the rooms were the same as before seeing how mother and father don't redecorate often. And in this moment I was glad that they really don't, it was good to came back to my home just as I had left it. Even my bed room was the same, a five year old girls room, pink and full of stuff animals. When we came here after the robot, my parents choice to give me and Fred a guest room and worry about changing my real room later.

"You're quiet Lily." Fred murmured agents my neck.

I giggle a bit. "I'm just relaxing, something wrong with that hun?"

He yawned slightly and pulled away. "Nope, perfectly fine."

I took a deep breath and turned in his arms. Moving so that my back was pressed on his chest, I sat slightly cross legged on his lap. I got caged back in his arms and rested his face on my shoulder. "Wow I can't believe this works," Talking about how I was pretty much perfectly sitting cross legged on his lap. "I really must be a small person huh?"

Fred really laughed then. "You're not small gal, I'm just too big."

I shook my head. "You're not too big Freddy."

"Ya I am," He winked. "To big for you."

There was a sparkle in his eyes and made me really think about what he just said. Once his words really set in, I blushed and hit him on the shoulder. "You're a sick man Dukes."

He laughed again. "I'm sorry sweetheart but, I couldn't help it."

I just rolled my eyes. "Oh yes you could have helped it, pervert."

Fred raised his hands up in defense. "Oh okay oh okay, don't have to go that road. I was just picking on you babe."

"I know," I moved slightly so that my head was resting under his chin. Letting out a sigh, Fred relaxed himself and rested his head on top of mine. Then the buzzer rang and I started to pull away from him. "Oh, need to stir the pasta." So I got up and walked over to pull out a wooden spoon from the doer. The pasta was getting close to being half way done and called over my shoulder. "Freddy do you mind getting the parmesan cheese for me?"

"Sure thing Aprill," I heard a smile in his voice as he got up and went to the silver refrigerator. The door clicked open and after a little noise of things moving around, the door was closed and Fred was standing beside me. He set the parmesan cheese next to the stove by the butter and looked over my shoulder.

"Thank you sweet heart." I said but didn't look away from the pasta that I was stirring. At first Fred didn't say anything, he just stood there next to me and watched the water boil. After a few more minutes I was getting ready to strain the pasta when he caught my face. He turned my face toward his and slowly raised my lips to his.

His eyes were so radiant and deep with color, so easy to get lost in them. "Thanks for the meal darlin."

I fluttered my eye lashes. "Your welcome, but you haven't eaten yet."

"Oh I know that," Came his answer with a smirk. "But I really am grateful, don't get this kind of cooking made at the house ya know."

I pouted a bit. "They should have fed you guys better…"

"We made by with what we had," He shrugged and his stomach gave a loud growl. A whimper crawled up his throat and he raised his free hand to his stomach.

"Oh my poor baby," I felt so guilty; those damn brotherhood members had to put him through so much. Reacting up, I kissed him lightly on the lips and pulled away from him. "You are eating your fullest fill baby, even if I need to make more."

"But Aprill…"

I was already straining the pasta and putting on the herbs, butter and parmesan cheese. "No buts baby, under this roof, there are proper dinners and plenty of it to eat." In the next moment I had my hot mitts on and pulled out the bread. I closed the oven door with my knee and started turning the temperature on the stove off. "I won't stand for my love to be improperly fed each day…those ass holes…"

As I was putting on white cheese for the bread, Fred must have walked around and had taken hold of me from behind. His stomach growled again and I slightly felt the sound go through my back. Leaning forward, he pressed his face into my neck. "You're too good to me Aprill."

"Hush now," I cooed, raising a hand up to touch his face. "I'm not going to let my baby starve, no way in hell."

He kissed my neck. "I love you Lily, love you so much it hurts."

I smiled. "And I love you to Freddy, just as much." Gently, I bumped him with my hip. "Now, go sit down. It's time to eat."And slowly he did. I had all the food place down at the table and I got a plate for myself. The rest for him to enjoy and from where I was sitting, he enjoyed it a lot. When I was done eating my plate, he was still going strong and I was happy to see that. I washed my plate and cleaned up the kitchen a bit. After a little bit I didn't have much else to do, so I walked over to stand right behind Freddy and he was on his….fifth plate maybe. I rested my hands on his shoulders and dug in my fingers. He was going to take a bit out of garlic bread when he felt his shoulders being rubbed.

He hummed softly. "What's this, dinner and a shoulder rub?"

I raised an eyebrow. "Does this bother you Fred?"

"Oh god no…" He murmured as he took a bit of garlic bread. "It just makes the food taste even better."

A smile crossed my lips. "I thought so, you enjoying the meal sweet heart?"

What answered me at first was a loud belch and I could help but laugh. He looked at me from the corner of his eye and he was blushing. "Sorry…."

I kissed his cheek. "It's okay and I'll take that a yes, you are enjoying my cooking."

"Of course," Fred smiled. "You're a wonderful cook Aprill. You really know how to fill a man."

I rolled my eyes. "I'm not good, I just know how you like certain foods prepared."

"Ya, and I'm still going." He laughed a bit.

"Well there is still plenty felt for you to finish up." I say and kissed his cheek again. "I'm going to rest in the living and read a book. Come find me when you're finished."

"Okay," He replied with a node and went back to his plate. As for me, I took my leave into the living room and found one of my books on the side table. It was Catching Fire, the second book in the Hunger Games series. I simply love these books and this was about my fifth time reading them. Getting comfortable on the couch, I opened up the book and found my place. It was the part where Katniss and Peeta were at their second hunger games. They had just got done with the parade or were just about to when Katniss was approached Finnick Odair. I simply love Finnick, he is truly one of the best novel characters that I've read about. Other then Jace Wayland and Dimitri Belikov, I had to say that I've read plenty of good book lately. Jace being such an egocentric and so funny at the same time, I was pretty happy to see him finally get with Clary. And lord Dimitri, the poor guy and poor Rose to. It was great for Dimitri to finally get a clue with Rose.

Anyway, romantic book have always been a great read for me but a little action doesn't hurt either. Catching Fire always keeps me on my toes and is such a good read, even after the fifth time. I wasn't sure how much time had passed, I'd say about another ten minutes or so maybe but it felt longer than that. Being a speed reading, I was getting closer to the ending of the book when I heard Fred walk into the room. I looked up a bit from my book and saw that he took in a sigh of satisfaction. He had his hands over his stomach and looked at me on the couch. I hesitated a bit. "Are you okay Freddy."

He said nothing as he slowly walked over by me and gripped my ankles. He lifted up my legs so that he could sit down next to me. Fred groaned a bit and placed my legs over his lap. Giving a small belch, he sighed again. "I think I ate too much." He said with a laugh.

"Oh you poor baby," I set my book down and sat up. I reached over and pushed my left hand under where he had his hands placed. There was a slight bulge and it felt tense. I gently started to rub over his aching stomach and Fred moaned a bit. "Does that hurt?"

He shook his head. "No, it feels really good…god you're babying so badly."

"Maybe I should just get a heating pad then." I teased him.

Fred shook his head and took his hands away from his stomach and my hand. "Please no Aprill, the belly rub is really….really soothing."

I hummed a little with a smile on my face. Fred belched every now again and I saw that his eye lids were really starting to sag. I guess he was really starting to get sleepy, after eating all that food. "Sleepy baby?"

Giving a sigh, Freddy smiled softly at me. "Ya….your cooking has really done a number on me."

"I would hope a good number, I don't you to get sick." I say with a raised eyebrow.

"Oh don't worry Aprill," He leaned forward and kissed my lips. "It is a good number."

Softly after that I helped Fred get up from the couch. His stomach was still hurting after dinner but he wasn't going to complain. He was really glad that he was able to have a dinner like that, couldn't even remember the last time he ate like that. That was a little worrisome but beyond that I was glad that Fred was happy. We managed to walk into the room that we were sharing and got ready for bed. It took Fred a little bit to get comfortable but once he was, I was back to rubbing his stomach until he passed out.

The next few days after that were pretty much the same thing. We spend the days just hanging out in peace and quiet. Fred would keep on eating as much as he wanted at all meal times but not as much as before, didn't want anything stomach ache. I made plans to for us to go to the castle that Father said would be a great place to go on vacation. So, by the time almost two weeks had passed, Fred and I were packing our things for the plan the next morning.

"You sure you want to do this Aprill?" Freddy asked me as he was putting his things into a suit case. Most of the cloths and other items had been given to him by my parents. They were almost spoiling him just as much as me and Fred knew that. It looked like by now that Fred wasn't going to complain about being spoiled. I think that after a while he was really enjoying the attention from me and the closest thing he had to a family.

I nodded. "Of course, this will be a well needed vacation and we can stay out there for as long as we want."

He couldn't help but smile at that. "Ya, that does sound really nice."

"Just you and me," I walk to stand beside him and hugged him. "Alone in a big castle, snuggling up in the master's bedroom with a king's bed." He placed an arm around my waist. "Silk sheets with a warm comforter."

A flirty smirk crossed his lips. "I like the sound of that."

"I know," I replied in a low voice. "I can't wait."

"Neither can I." Was his reply before he leaned forward and kissed my lips. Had it really been a few months now since I started dating my best friend. I couldn't believe that it had become so easy to adjust to this big change. But even in the way begin, it was like a snap of the finger and I was in full swing with the change. Of course Fred was more ready, way more then ready to be in full swing with us. He nipped my bottom lip a bit and it broke my train of thought.

"Naughty boy," I purred against his lips. He chuckled deep in his throat and I sighed. "Be gentle."

He lightly kissed my lips. "Sorry Lily…I try my best."

I rolled my eyes. "I'm sure you do."

Fred stuck his tongue out at me. "Don't believe me do you?"

"Of course I believe you goof ball," I grinned. "Why wouldn't I believe you?" Reaching up, I kissed him once more before I pulled away from him.

"You just love teasing me don't you?" He stated with a grunt.

I winked at him and then turned back to make sure that had all the books that I wanted to bring. I had finished Catching Fire so I was going to bring Mocking Jay. There was the idea that I should bring the other good books that I want to reread but I thought against it. By the time that I figured out all the books that I wanted, Fred had fully packed his things and watched me. My hair was growing longer by the day and hopefully in about two months it would be fully grown out again. That would be another thing that would brighten Fred's day. But in the meantime, he watched at I moved around the room with my hair blowing behind me. He rested his chin on the palm of his right hand and sighed.

"See something you like?" I flirted when I needed to pick up some books that had fallen on the floor. It was way too easy for me to feel his eyes on me and what he could be thinking.

I could hear him sigh again. "Can I list?"

"Nope," I teased him.

He huffed. "That's evil, it's not far too just pick one."

I turned to look at him with a soft smile. "It's called tough love sweet heart."

"I guess so," Fred stated. "But my angel is too sweet and gentle for tough love."

"Ya, I guess you're right." I say with a smile.

"KIDS," My uncle called from the front of the house. "IT'S TIME TO GET GOING."

"We're not kids John." Fred yelled back at him as he picked up his suitcases.

I just sighed. "Let it go Freddy dear, John just likes messing with us." By that moment I had just finished packing and was following Fred's lead.

Fred shrugged. "I know, but that doesn't mean that I can't through back at him."

"Ya." I laughed and raised my hand for Fred to take hold. "Have everything?"

"I think so." He answered as he took hold of my offered hand.

John yelled again and I shook my head. "Well then, that's get going before John blows a blood vessel."

And with us joined hand in hand we went down to find John more than ready for us. We walked out the garage and started to load up the family truck. "You two better behave while you are up there." John scowled at us as he helped me get my bags into the car. I just shook my head again, John's been acting more like a parent now that I was dating Fred. To be honest I wouldn't have the slightest idea and by this point, John's prodding was pissing Fred off.

"Do you not trust us John?" Fred huffed and scowled at John a bit.

He looked right back. "I know how much you love her, I don't to start thinking about babysitting…."

"John!" I exclaimed in shock, what on earth was wrong with my uncle.

"What?" John looked at me dumfounded. "I have a point here you know."

I just kept on looking at him in shock. "John that's not the point here….do you really think…"

"Aprill let it go," I turned to see that my mother was standing in the entrance of the garage and she was glaring at my uncle. "Jonathan, I thought you said you could handle this."

"I can Samantha," John barked back. "I'm more then capable of handling this."

Mom had her long hair tied up in a shower of curls and wearing normal cloths, tank top and jeans. She didn't look like she was going to buy into her brother's statement. "Wilson will take them now John. You and I need to talk."

"NO, I can do this," John protested. "Fred is my son…"

"Stand down John," It was Father, who was now stepping into the garage. Mom turned her head slightly as Father walked to stand by her. She fished into her pocket and tossed it to my Father. I heard a jingle and saw a little flash of light, they were car keys and Father caught them with ease. "You need to calm down."

"Calm down, your telling me to calm down Wilson?" John snarled. "You don't know what it's like to have a son…"

"And you don't know what it's like to be a true father." My Father snapped right back, the room fell silent. Dad could be really harsh sometimes, properly due from his life in crime. But he was really trying to cut down on that.

Mom turned to at him in surprise. "That was harsh Wilson."

"But it was needed my flower," Came my Fathers reply.

I looked over to see that John had stood down and looked very pale. "Aprill don't…" Fred tried to stop me but it was too late. I walked over to where John was standing and gave him a huge. He took in a sudden breath and looked down to see me there. I looked back up at him with my colorful eyes and then snuggled up against his chest.

"It's okay timer." I purred and hugged him a little tighter. He was silent for a few moments but then he returned my huge. "I love you Uncle, please trust me."

John sighed and kissed the top of my head. "You're such a good girl little lady."

"Papa," I called softly, raising my head to look at my father. "I want Uncle to drive me."

"But Aprill…"

"Please Father." I pleaded with him, wanting him to understand. Slowly I pulled away from John and flow over to where he was standing. Father is a good few inches taller then me, just as tall Fred I think. So when I was standing in front of him, I needed to jump up to wrap my arms around his neck. "Please daddy."

He did huge me back but I knew that he would be looking at Mother. They would exchange thoughts and feelings through their bond. It was still an odd thing to think about, them being bonded together by such a powerful force. After a few long moments, that is when Father sighed in defeat. "Alright sweet heart," Then he looked at John. "But you better keep in line John."

Samantha's Point of View

They all loaded into the truck, Aprill looked very bright and happy to go on this vacation. I'm so proud of her and yet…my eyes met my brother and I was worried about him. I had tried my best to be sure that he would be ready for this, to take Aprill and Fred to the airport, but he has become fragile in these passed years. John is older then I in immortal years, and has been around the family much since Aprill was five. He had stayed in Texas all the time when she and Fred were growing up, keeping his distance from me. I couldn't blame him as he started to back up out of the garage. Aprill waved to Wilson and I and I blow her a kiss goodbye. Fred sat beside her and kissed her cheek. I simply laughed, it was so cute to see them together. I got one last look at John, who smiled softly at me. Those two kids mean the world to him, which was why he never left Texas.

I could feel the cold anger from Wilson in the back of my mind. He didn't like how John was acting and he's been letting his anger get the best of him. "Breath my love," I said softly to him but didn't turn to look at him.

He sighed. "He's out of line…"

"Oh Wilson calm yourself, you know anger isn't good for the bond." I replied gently, there was no need to fill the bond with rage. It wouldn't help either of us.

I turned my head slightly to look at Wilson and saw a spark in his eyes, he was just starting to fully understand my emotions. He shivered a bit. "I'm sorry my lovely," Came his reply and I could the rage in him start to fade. "You know how I am."

"I would hope so dearest," I laughed lightly and turned away to head back into the house. "They will be fine dear, I have complete faith in your little girl."

Wilson sighed. "So do I Samantha but she is following in the steps you took." He was soon following me back into the house and shut the door once we were inside.

I shook my head. "She knows who and what she is, she's not running around the world to find a propose."

"Hopefully won't marry a killer…" Wilson murmured as he walked a little faster to pass me. For I had stopped in my tracks at his words, not those thoughts again. Taking hold of a bundle of my emotions for Wilson, I took hold of our bond and brought him to a stop. He gave a slight yelp of pain and surprise. "Opel…."

"You are no killing Wilson, nor were you ever." I said firmly, letting the bond go and knew all to well what he was talking about.

He turned to look at me sadly. "So I hired people to do the killing for me, what is the difference."

"You are no longer the King Pin my love, no longer in New York," Slowly I walked up to him and hugged his large frame. "You're a wonderful father dearest, and a truly loving husband."

Wilson slowly returned my embrace. "Tell that to my son, or the daughter that we lost…"

"Richard isn't your fault Wilson," I sooth him. "And the Brotherhood have paid for taking her away from us."

He shrugged. "But you remember what they said, they didn't know about a girl being stolen, nor did they have one at the time."

I sighed. "That's right, Wanda was about to born around the time also, Lorna was no where near being born and his son was not even a year old at the time."

"Yes, and no one else was waiting for children at the time either." Wilson agreed and reached forward to rub my stomach. "Everyone at the time knew that you were heavily pregnant Samantha. And we have many enemies between the two of us."

"I know my king…." In that moment the phone rang and stopped our talking. Sighing, I pulled away from Wilson and flow over to where the phone was. I answered the phone with a "Hello, Fisk residence."

"Good evening Samantha, this is Charles," Come a man's voice and sounded like he was smiling.

I returned the smile. "Hello Charles, how are things with you."

"Oh things are every well here at the school, how is Wilson doing?"

"He's doing every well Charles, so what can I do for you." I asked.

There was a slight pause before he answered me. "How are the children, after the government's attack the whole school is worried about Aprill."

"Oh well, she is doing just fine and so is Fredrick."

"Well that's very good to hear. Anyway I could speak to her Samantha?"

I shook my head. "I'm sorry Charles, but she and Fredrick just left."

"Left…where are they going at a time like this," He was calm as always in asking his questions.

"To Ireland, they are spending there time in the Michlard estate there."

"Whatever for?

"A vacation, with just the two of them, it's well needed Charles. They have been so stressed out after the attack and over the drama…"

"Aprill shouldn't be going alone Samantha," Charles warned me. "Fredrick could prove to be dangerous."

I really sighed then. "So that is what this call is about…" I shook my head. "Listen Charles, this will be the only time I'll say this. Aprill is no danger and because me and Wilson fully approve of Fred, I see no problems."

"But Samantha…"

"I don't care Charles," I said with a slight hiss. "Fred is part of the family as far as I'm concerned and he loves Aprill so much. I don't want to have this talk again Charles, understand."

Back to Aprill View

Car rides; they were simply the most boring thing. John and Fred would talk every now and then, while I just rested against Fred's arm. It was a long drive out to the airport and once we got there we all said our good byes. I gave John a hug and a kiss on the cheek after he shook hands with Fred. John said that he was going to miss us both and wished us well. I thanked him for that and took my bags. We watched as John drove off and then we had to go and find my family's jet. Since it would have been way to much a pain for Fred to fit on a normal plane, my parents made sure that we flow on a family jet.

"Welcome Mrs. Fisk, I'm Scott Reeves," A tall man said to me with a bow. We had just stepped into the airport when the man came in front of us. He was an inch taller than me and seemed a bit young, mid twenties at best. Scott smiled in respect. "I am here to take you and Mr. Dukes to your parent's jet."

I returned the bow. "Thank you very much Mr. Reeves."

"Please Mrs. Fisk, call me Scott. Here can I take your bags for you." He continued to smile with a slight bow of his head.

"I can take care of that thanks," Fred huffed from behind me.

Mr. Reeves looked like he took a mental step back and then he bowed. "I apologize, I didn't mean to offend. Please, right this way."

So we followed the man with Fred right at my side. I couldn't help but look up at him and worry. "He was just being kind dear."

"He looked to happy," He responded and kept on looking forward. "Looked to happy to see you…."

"Oh Freddy," I shook my head. "He was only being a gentlemen and doing his job, nothing more. No need to get jealous."

A deep blush came to his cheeks. "Jealous, me? That's a joke Aprill, why…"

I just smiled as he rambled and reached over to grip his hand. My fingers laced between his, his hand practically engulfing mine. "You're so cute when you're flustered."

We made it to an elevator when he seemed to blush even more, reaching down into his neck. "Being flustered isn't manly…I do no such thing…"

"Then what's with the blush," I say, stepping close to him and hugged him. The blush darkened just a bit more and he sighed. Fred bowed his head and pressed his forehead against mine. "Silly Trucker."

He smiled shyly. "Don't judged me…"

"Never sweetheart." I reassured him.

"Mrs. Fisk, Mr. Dukes," I looked to Scott standing there and smiling shyly at the scene. "The jet is waiting for you."

And with that, we pulled away and boarded the jet. It was nice one, one of the best that money could buy. We were told to take our sets, and once in the air food was being made for us. Soft music was playing, once the food was presented there were candles lit. The lights were dimmed way down and the small crew left us in peace. It was simply a wonderful atmosphere and the food was wonderful. When dinner was over a movie was put in for us to watch. As soon as it started to play, and I was snuggled up against Fred, I passed out. I had slept for a good few hours it felt like. My sleep ended when I felt a poking on my arm.

With a sigh, my eyes started to flutter open. "Hmm…what is it…"

"We just landed sweetheart," Came a deep voice. "It's time to wake up."

"Oh…" I said with a yawn, and looked up into Fred's eyes. "Did we really?"

He laughed softly. "Ya, we really did gal and they are waiting for us."

I blushed a bit. "Oh well then…can't keep them waiting can we."

Shaking his head, he helped me to my feet and out of the jet. We stepped off the jet and was greeted again by Scott. He gave a deep bow. "I hope you enjoyed the flight and welcome to Ireland." I looked around and I guess we landed on a private landing strip. In front of me was a massive gothic castle, black stone covered in dark green vines. A string of mountains were in the distance behind the castle. With the sun just starting to set, the colors dappled over the ancient stone castle and the path way that lead to the front door. It was a massive wooden door and once we were standing in front of it, the knocker was iron flower. "Welcome to the Michlard Estate Mrs. Fisk, Mr. Dukes. We hope that you will be enjoying your stay." Scott spoke in a happy tone.

"Wow…" The word came from Fred's lips as his eyes panned around the inside of the castle. It looked fairly modern inside and all the stone looked simply gorgeous. A grand stair case stood before us with red carpeting. The place was simply wonderful and it looked like Fred really liked the place already.

"Everything is ready and waiting for you," Scott continued. "Food, water…everything that you will need and there are two cars out back." He handed me two sets of keys. "Anything just give your parents a call and it will be sent out here to you."

"Thank you Scott," I said as I bowed my head.

"Yes, thank ya," Fred followed my lead and shook Scott's hand.

"It was my pleasure," He said with a smile. "Have a good day you two."

So Scott and the others left, the bags placed in our room and I took the time to clean up. Fred was a little worn out from the flight and took a load off on the couch in the living room. I was flying around the grand hall, dusting away, cleaning the stained glass chandlers and a few other things. The place was pretty clean to start off with but I didn't just want to sit around for a bit. There was no need to make dinner, we had plenty to eat on the jet and within a few hours it was time for bed. Like I had told Fred, it was a massive bedroom that we were staying in. The air was warm and smelled apples thanks to the candles I lit. There was a kings bed in the center of the room. The comforter was soft and warm with silk sheets.

We both got into our sleeping clothes and climbed into bed. I could hear Fred give a slight moan of comfort, he must really enjoy how comfortable the bed is. He rolled over slightly so that he was almost completely on top of me. I was already laying on my side with my back to him when he did this. Fred pressed his lips to my ear. "Freddy…"

"You were right, this is really comfortable." I smiled up at him curled up against him. We both fell asleep shortly after that and the days after passed nicely. Everything was full of love, I made romantic meals three times a day for the two of us, even Fred tried a few times. We'd go for walks around the castle's large yard and garden. We'd watch movies, play video games, I'd read books to him sometimes and in the end there was no one to bother us. We were able to stay at the castle for as long as we wanted. Fred wasn't going to complain and neither was it. It was about to the start of the second week when I was standing on a balcony at the back of the castle. I was reading a book at the sun was beginning to set. Fred was relaxing somewhere in the castle. It didn't bother him that all that I wanted to do was sit outside and read. If he got restless or something, he'd just get up and do something else. I was going to pack my book soon anyway, dinner needed to be prepared.

There was a sudden breeze that crossed the balcony and a flash of silver. My eyes narrowed as I slowly stood up and looked around. I knew that scent….but why was it all the way out here in Ireland. I was going to blow it off as nothing, that my mind was playing tricks on me. However when I turned with book in hand to go inside, he was standing in the way. His silver hair seemed thicker and maybe even a bit longer. He looked like he had been working out, his body looked more filled in. There was an evil smile on his lips as he looked at me. "What…don't remember who I am?"

I was pretty speechless. "Silver…what…what on earth…"

"I know, I know Aprill it's been a while hasn't it," Silver grinned and took a step forward. "Father insisted that I stayed with him for a few months and well…I'd say it was worth it."

When he said that it came to me that he had gone missing, at least that was what Fred said. But now it looked like he was back and why he was in Ireland was beyond me. "What do you want Silver."

He continued to smile and walk closer to me. "What I have wanted for some time now…" With blinding speed, he caught me in his arms with such a new strength. "You Lily."

I didn't want to hurt him, at least not at first. So I really couldn't pull away from him. "You don't have me period," I hissed. "You sold me out to your father…you never loved me."

"Oh, but I did Aprill, still do even." He said with a smile. "And now I'm here to reclaim what was taken from me."

"I'm with Fred now," I growled. "He will not stand to see you here…."

That was when he laughed at me. "Oh I know, that fat bastard has gotten in the way. But don't worry my flower, he is being well cared for."

I was stunned, couldn't believe that this was happening. When I finally used my strength to get away from him, he hold caught me again. I wanted to get to Fred, I wanted to make sure that he was okay.

Fred's View Point

It was really relaxing, being away from all the drama and pain. Being in this wonderful castle with the woman I love. I had felt Aprill to her reading on the balcony and enjoyed the setting sun from one of the balconies toward the front of the castle. It was pretty quiet, just the sounds of some animals out there. I had my eyes closed and was taking in deep breaths. My stomach was starting to growl and ache, dinner was just around the corner. Oh how I love Aprill's cooking, it tasted so good. I would always end up eating too much and getting a stomachache. But the belly rubs after each meal were always something to look forward to. She spoils me so badly, that wonderful angle of mine. And I love her so much…so near and dear to my heart.

I finally chose to get up so that I go be by Aprill again. But a sudden force stopped me once I was on my feet. I knew this force, oh I knew it all too well. I snarled. "Wanda, what the hell are you doing here?"

Suddenly the force let me go and I was face to face with the witch. Wanda, the one I wasted my time…my "love" on. I hate her and what I did against my love for Aprill. But now here she was, standing in front of my face in her gothic glory. She smiled at me in that evil way for hers. "Oh what, not happy to see me?"

"No, now get out of here." I snapped and pushed passed her.

The force stopped me again and it turned me so that I was facing her again. "Oh no Freddy, there are some things that need to be finished."

I growled. "I know you want Aprill, but damn it Wanda you will never be able to lay an eye on her."

She giggled and it was such a creepy sound. "Oh I know, with you in the way. But now I have figured it out."

"Figured what out?" I snapped at her.

"Oh no need to be rude," Wanda said lightly. "See, now that Aprill is in better hands, now there is you to take care of. And I must say, in the end you could make a good love slave."

My eyes widened in shock and not for my own sake. "Aprill…" With a growl I lunged forward and gripped Wanda's neck. "What the hell have you done to her!"

Even if I was cutting her from breathing normally, she was able to laugh at me. "It's not what I'm doing. It's what a friend of yours is going to do."

"A friend of mine…" I really had no idea what she meant by that but I wasn't going to waste anymore time. I slammed Wanda down onto the chair that I was sitting in. Taking the medal arms, I bent them around her wrists. "Don't move, I'm coming back for you."

As I was beginning to run out into the house I heard Wanda laugh. "You are such a rough, naughty boy."

Aprill's View Point

I was just remembering just how cold his lips were. They traced my neck and up into my hair. I kept on trying to get away but there was just no point. Silver was just too fast for me and running away wasn't an option. He tried to kiss my lips but I spit in his face. Silver grunted and growled at my move. "You have to make this hard don't you…" He said as he slammed me onto the ground. It was enough force to make my head spin. "Why don't you love me…why can't you love me like you did before…"

"Because," I hissed. "You handed me over to my death."

"Father wasn't going to kill you…" He said softly. "He was going to treat you like a goddess…"

"PEITRO!" I looked over Silvers shoulder to see Fred standing in the doorway. His face was flushed and looked at Silver with pure hatred. "So you're the friend Wanda mentioned."

"Wanda?" I almost screamed. "What the hell is she doing here?"

Silver looked at Fred and growled. "Was supposed to keep you busy."

"Ya, and didn't really work. Now," Fred growled as he lunged forward and gripped onto Silver. "Get the hell off of my girl." With his strength he pulled Silver off and half throw him over the balcony. He was able to grip onto the railing and growled at Freddy.

"This isn't over Dukes. Aprill will be mine." And with that, Silver was gone. All I could do was look at Fred and wonder, what the hell just happened.


	28. Chapter 27: The Count Down Begins

Chapter 27

The Count Down Begins

I'm pacing, almost all around the castle it seemed. There was nothing that could slow me down, the thought of what happened the week before still lingered. Silver….that speed demon was somewhere out in Ireland with his magical sister. I still couldn't make clear of what had happened. He had been gone for almost two months, at least that is what it felt like. Silver wasn't in the fight with the robot how many weeks ago now. But now he was suddenly back and was in the oddest of places. How the hell did he know that I would be out here…how could he have figured that out? Vertically no one knows about my family's castle. And yet he was here, getting ready to kidnap me if it wasn't for Fred. However that idea still didn't settle me, Wanda was here also and the last time I saw her, she was hopping for my death. The realism of the event became quite clear. Those two must have made a deal…Silver could have me as his lover as long as Fred's care was in Wanda's hands. I was still moving around, not liking the idea to hold still. Fred on the other hand, was sitting in a chair and just watched me. Was he worried? Oh I know he was, big time and he is just at a loss as me. We just couldn't figure it out, how could have they found us here.

There couldn't have been a Brotherhood out here in Ireland…if there would be I wouldn't think that Silver's father would act with them. Mother said that Ireland has a low population of mutants right now, there aren't many children being born with the gene. So mutant hating humans are really…just not here in this country and so there'd be no reason for a Brotherhood. But then that still left me with no clear answer, we were on a private jet…it landed right in front of the castle. There was no way at all they could have gotten on the jet, let alone follow us on a different plane. But I think that biggest thing that upsets me is that we were found…and messed up our whole vacation. That was when I started to growl and I slowed down in my pacing. Soon I finally came to a stop and slammed my fist into the wall. "How the HELL!" I screamed, my voice bouncing loudly off the walls.

There was frown in Fred's voice. "Calm down sweet heart…or you'll bring this whole place down."

I turned to look at him sadly. "But Fred...how the hell? There's just no way they could have found us…"

"But they did, clearly." He said with a sigh. "All we can do Aprill is wait and see. You know that just as well as me."

I just shook my head. "Your right I know….but what about our vacation…it's ruined."

"No it's not Lily," That was when Fred got up and walked over to hug me. "As long as we are here together, it's still a vacation and a good one at that."

"Ya…I guess you're right," I agreed and I couldn't help but smile at him. We had only been on vacation for about three weeks now and other then Silver showing up…it was really enjoyable. Fred returned my smile and leaned forward to kiss my lips. It was a nice relaxing kiss, another way for him to say that everything was going to be okay. His grip on me tightened a bit more as his lips traced over mine. I could feel the tension in the muscles of his arms and shoulders, there was something that he wasn't telling me. Gently, I put some space between our lips. "Freddy, it wasn't your fault with Silver."

He shuddered. "Yes it was. I should have been there….making sure that nothing befalled you."

I couldn't help but roll my eyes. After a pause I leaned forward and took hold of his bottom lip. I bit down, a sound between a yelp and a moan escaped. "You should stop thinking that way baby," I murmured against his now swollen lip. "You always become my hero."

Fred licked his injured lip with a certain spark in his eyes. "Naughty girl," He whispered to me in a husky voice. His grip tightened around me as his lips fell hungrily on my neck. They were rough at the same time gentle, I wasn't even sure if that was possible but I didn't care. My whole neck felt like it was on fire as his lips traced lines. I was taking deep even breaths and let my fingers dig into his shoulders. Fred gasped against my neck at the sudden pressure. Holding me even closer to his chest he started to walk forward. He kept on walking until I was pressed against the wall. "I should punish you…"

"Oh Freddy," I was flushed and out of breath, my heart is racing inside my chest. He sees what his actions are doing to my body and he moans softly in my ear. His hands are tracing all over, not afraid to touch new places. I should stop him, it was the smartest idea but I'm so dazed and on fire that I don't really care. Fred's just so gentle and warm, I would just crumble if he pulled away now. Large hands moved their way down my sides and under my shirt. That was when I really should have stopped him but who was I kidding anymore. We've been dating for how many months now, been together over how many years, I know this man way to well. I know that he would never hurt me with his own hands, and he loves me so much. His hands leave fire on my bare skin and I groan when he squeezes me tenderly. "Freddy…."

His eyes lock with my then, they are so wide and dark with passion, lust. There was so much flush in his face and like me, could hardly breathe. But even when he's so out of breath and swaying slightly, his mouth is all over my face and neck. "Oh Lily baby…."

I lace my arms around his neck to pull him even closer and to help steady him. "Your swaying a bit baby."

He grunts to himself at my move and push his face into my neck. "You do that to me baby…..you make me so dizzy Aprill."

Meanwhile in the nearby town, away from the heating romance of Fred and Aprill, there was a loud smashing sound in a fancy hotel. It was five star, filled with the best that money could buy. Any cloth, from the bed sheets to the bathrobes were made of silk. The lamps and any jars in the bathroom were made of fine china. Such fine china was now also found on the floor, in pieces. Wanda stood there, her short hair almost standing on end. Her hands out stretched were pointing to where the china was broken on the floor. Her brother was lying on the bed, his eyes closed as he listened to her screaming.

"We were so fucking close," Wanda exclaimed, using her powers to through another piece of china. "What the fuck…"

"You know I'm not cleaning this up," Silver mumbles as his sister paused for a moment as there was a shattering noise. "Nor am I paying for it."

Wanda turns on him. "Shut the hell up brother, this is all your fault!"

His eyes opened then and they were cold as ice. "My fault?! This was not my fault damn it!"

"Yes it is, you should have had Aprill out of there before Fred had the chance!" Her eyes narrowed to slits. "But no, you had to rap her first."

Silver's face turned bright red then. "I wouldn't rap her…."

"Oh and I'm sure she would just let you do all that stuff to her willingly." His sister snapped back. They both knew that Aprill wouldn't let that happen, ever. Silver had his chance with her and epically failed at it. Now whatever he tried on her would be at best called rap. They spent all this time tracking those two down, all the way overseas to get revenge and they got nothing. Now that those two knew that they were here, there was all most nothing that they could do now.

Her brother looked at the broken china and kept his mouth shut. "So what now Wanda, at this rate we might as well go back to Bayville and wait for them."

Wanda paused and thought about it. There was no way that she was going to leave when they barely just started. But what could really be done? Now that Fred and Aprill know that they are somewhere nearby and could come back, there was no way to surprise them now. Her brother was right, they should just go back home and come up with a new plan. However as she was going to admit defeat to her brother, an idea come to her mind. "Maybe there is something that can be done."

Silver couldn't help but look at Wanda like she was crazy. "You're joking right?"

"Not at all," She snapped and turned away from him. "There is one thing that we could try, it's a long shot but it just might work."

Back at the Fisk castle

The room was warm, a very comfortable warmth that made me pretty sleepy. I laid on our bed, half naked, with Fred in the same state beside me. It was a pretty hot kissing section, I would have to say that hottest ever between us. I was just glad that Fred knew the limits, no sex, however stripping was just fine. Laugher filled my chest at that thought; it was such a silly thing. However here I was, only in my bra and underwear, Fred with only his boxers. His hair was in a mess after my fingers went through it so much. With his eyes closed, he laid there relaxed and breathing deeply. I raised to rest on my elbows and looked at his face. It was every peaceful, content, and happy after our time together. Though he always looked that way now, with us dating there's no need for him to be sad anymore. I got up more so I could stretch, hoping that I wouldn't wake him up. However there was still a good chance that I still could.

With every breath I took I could smell him, his smell was all over the room, in the covers of our bed. It made my heart feel warm and light, knowing that no matter where I go in the castle, I could easily smell him. I looked back at him again, taking in his features, such familiar features. So much of him changed when he got older, inside and out but in the end he was still him. I remember still that first cold summer night, stars filled the sky that night when I first saw him. A little boy pulling a truck into the ring, not seeing anyone but the sand in front of him, but now look at him. He's a man now….a large one yes but still. I couldn't help but smile. I will most likely not understand why he's this large. But I don't care, he's handsome and I love him just the way he is. Suddenly I yawned and stretched out my arms again. In doing that I slowly rose into the air and before I knew I was out of bed with Fred still a sleep. I felt like I could be in the air above him all day, but I wanted to do more than that. So I lowered myself and kissed him on the nose. "Wake up sleepy head?"

It took him a moment but soon his eyes were opened and looked at me. He chuckled to himself. "Well isn't this a wakeup call? Aprill, my hot girlfriend, is hovering over me in sexy clothing."

I blushed then, seeing that it might have been a good idea to put my cloths back on. "Well don't get used to that Mr. Dukes." I tease him, going more into the air when he tried to gasp me. "And you're still in your boxers."

He winked at me. "They could easily come off; all you have to do is say please."

"Oh brother," I say with a laugh. "You're in a naughty mood now aren't you?"

"Ya I am, and I'm hungry to," He winked. I blushed at once at what he could mean and that made him chuckle. "I mainly mean dinner; our kissing has made me famished."

I wanted to say something but I really didn't know what to say. So I just shook my head and come back down to stand next to the bed. "Well if you want dinner then I need to change, so don't look."

"Ah what, why not just stay that way." Fred teased me. "You look amazing in whatever you wear or you don't have to wear anything and your still prefect."

"That's sweet of you but I don't know if I'm fully comfortable to do that yet." I tell him as I started picking out what I was going to wear.

He sighed. "Oh come now, we are the only two in the whole castle. And I'll keep only my boxers on to make it far."

I knew he meant well, and it's not like I haven't seen him naked or him see me that way. We share this room together and sometimes I just don't want to go into the bathroom to change. And I have to face it, we are how old now and in a serious relationship, this kind of thing shouldn't be that big of a deal. So I sighed and at least changed my bra and underwear. I turned as I clipped the front of my black bra shut, seeing that his eyes were on me. "What are you staring at Trucker?"

Fred smiled. "You know I really hate those bras Aprill. Why the hell put the clip in the front?"

A smirked came to my lips. "So that horny men like you don't get what you want right off the bat." His mouth dropped at my statement but his eyes showed that he was amused. Slowly I turned to make my way to the door. "So what do want to eat tonight, burgers?"

He had to compose himself a bit before he could speak. "Sure, and with your awesome homemade fries?"

"Sure thing." I smiled at him and headed out the door. A few moments later he was following me down the hallway to get the main staircase. It was quiet for a little bit and at first I thought I said the wrong thing back there. But then he came from behind me when I was about to head down the stairs. His hands moved in a flash to the front of my chest and unclipped my bra with ease. I gasped and closed my arms around myself, looking up at him in shock.

"I guess I can get what I want fast enough," Fred joked but then he softened, putting his hands on my arms. "But it's okay, I'm not that kind of a guy." He gently wanted to pull my arms down and re-clip me but I pulled away from him. I was so appalled, how could he do that to me. Fred saw the look of fear on my face and saw that I was starting to fly up into the air. He took that moment then to reach out and get one arm around me. Once his arm was in place he pulled me back down to the floor and against his chest. Freddy would frown sadly at me and reach up once again, this time I let him clip my bra. "You know that right Aprill?"

"I can't believe you did that…." I almost hissed but then I sighed. "But ya, I know you wouldn't. Just don't do that again okay."

"It won't happen again. Now, how about that dinner, I'm really hungry Lily?" I could hear his stomach growl loudly in my ears. Giving him an odd look when I look up at him, I pull away from him and fly down the stairs. There was never a time that showed to me that Fred had that kind of naughtiness in him. When I was thinking that he was a man now, I guess that I wasn't joking. I made it into the kitchen before Fred did, not paying mind to the fact that I've never been half naked wondering around a home. Even if Fred had made his point, the thought of Silver walking into me looking like this scares me. I start to get the food out and the burners going when Fred walks in. The burgers would get placed into a pan of heating oil. From there I'd work on making the fries and get something for Fred and me to drink. I'd give a small smile when I hand him his soda and Fred would return the same small smile. After a couple moments while the food was cooking, it hit me that I didn't have my phone on me.

I'd laugh to myself and then hop off the table, where I chose to sit next to Fred. "Hold on a sec, I need to get my phone." I turned and flow out of the kitchen, back up the stairs and into our room. When I was there I noticed next to the front door was a suitcase, one of the large ones that Fred uses. I looked at it in wonder, not understanding why Fred left is out in the hall. With a sigh I'd walk up to it and find that there was a note attached to it. I pulled the note off and opened it. It read that due to some mishap, one of our pieces of luggage came late. This confused me because Fred and I took a private jet over. "Fred," I called from our room. "Come up here please." As I waited for Fred to come up stairs I choice to slowly open the suitcase, just in case this was one of Wanda's tricks. When I unclipped the locks I could hear a moan and smell something fowl. A chill run down my spine at these things and was uneasy about opening the case now. Suddenly, however, the suitcase burst open even more and something come out. I could make out it was a person, whose face landed strait on my chest. I screamed and hastily pushed away whatever just touched me.

By this point Fred was up stairs and looked very uneasy. "Aprill, what on earth is doing on? Are you hurt…?" He would stop in panic and his face would turn to a mix between laughter, angry and worry. "TOAD, what the fuck?"

I would take a double take at what I just pushed off me and would gasp. It was Toad alright and he looked bone thin and pale. I was shocked and all I could say was. "He just….come out and….face planted on my chest…"

"Well?" Fred said as he towered over Toad in the living room. We had Toad eating in a chair in the middle of the room, waiting for what he had to say. As for Fred and me, we put our cloths back on and Fred seemed pretty pissed. I don't blame him, what the does Toad think he's doing. Shoving himself into a suitcase and almost getting himself killed. As for Toad himself, he's hardly said a word since I got him out of Fred's suitcase and getting him something to eat. While Toad sat there he had a glass of water in his hands so that he could get fluids back in his system. After a couple more moments for Toad not saying anything, Fred huffed. "Damn it Toad, say something. You hid away in one of my suitcases, on my vacation, and landed face first on my girlfriend's chest. Talk or I'm throwing you out the window."

Toad shivered. "Alright alright man….." He didn't look at either Fred or me when he shrugged his shoulders. " You disappeared man, none of us knew where you went…."

"You weren't suppose to." Fred snapped.

"Well…some of us started worrying and when I saw that your suitcases were leaving...you know the rest. But I kept getting caught, so that's why it took so long." Toad finished and then he looked up at me. I shivered at his look, remembering him landing on me. "Sorry about the chest thing Aprill. Though I can see why Fred likes them…."

"Enough Toad," I heard Fred yell as I blushed a hot red. This wasn't how I wanted my vacation to go. Every second it was getting ruined somehow and it wasn't fair. I tuned out Fred yelling at Toad about never going near me like that. This vacation was becoming no better than being at home. The only thing was that the X-men weren't coming throw the windows yet. I really hope that doesn't happen. It was already bad enough that Wanda and her brother were out there somewhere. I'd look up to see that Fred was pinching the bridge of his nose. "Grr, it's already bad enough that Wanda is here with…."

At the mention of the witch's name, Toad's face lit up. "OHHH, so she is here. I knew I had a good gut feeling. Taking out two birds with one stone…."

"I'm going to our room." I said, interrupting Toad and getting to my feet. All of this with the Brotherhood coming in on my vacation was taking its toll. I didn't even look as Fred as I turned and walked out of the room. There was no yelling my name, running after me and I was able to flop onto my bed with no complaints. I was trying not to cry but that wasn't going to be easy to do. It was unsettling to know that Wanda still wasn't me dead or at least now in the sickly hands of her bother. Then what did she want with Fred? It wasn't like she actually cares about him or anything. Well it wasn't like I'd know that, Fred didn't give too much detail on what Wanda told him. At first I wasn't sure that I wanted to know all the details but now I just might want to know them. After a couple of minutes I heard the door open and then close. There was the sound of heavy footsteps after that and it lead someone sitting next to me on the bed. I would sigh knowing who it was before I caught his scent. He laid his massive hand on the small of my back and traced circles with his fingers. I'd sigh and close my eyes.

"Aprill," Fred would whisper. "I'm sorry about everything."

I would pout a bit and not make a move to look at him. "Our vacation is falling apart by the minute…because of our past with the Brotherhood…because of your still with them…."

His hand would stop moving on the small of my back. "Aprill this isn't my fault. I can't control what they do…."

"We'd be better off if you just left the god damn Brotherhood." I'd snap at Fred, cutting him off. "I don't need or want you to protect me the way that you're…"

"Oh that's it," Fred snapped back, taking his hands and gripping them onto me. I'd yelp as he yanked me across the bed and placing me bully down on his lap. I would try and get away from him but he used his strength against me. He would curve his right leg around my legs so the I wouldn't kick him. Then he crossed my arms across my back and held them. I could hardly move and I was shivering in fear. I did my best to look up at Fred to see that he was angry at the same time upset. He would have on iron grip on me as he used his free hand to stroke my hair. I'd look up into his eyes and whimper. He took in a deep breath and let it out in a sigh. Before he spoke he took his free hand away from my hair and smacked it across my butt. I would yelp again and bit my lip at sting feeling Fred left. "Damn it Aprill….none of this is my fault. I do what I do to keep you safe. The least you could do is not…." He would smack me again and I'd push my face into the bed. "Yell at me….." After that he would let me go and let me move better so I could look at him. I'm shocked by the force that Fred just used on me. Until I saw how much sadness crossed his face; I didn't know that I was crying.

I'd bow my head, not feeling like I earned to look at him anymore. "I'm sorry…." I managed to choke out between tears. It didn't take long for him to lift me up and hold me in his arms. I feel horrible, he knows I'm right but I should be more grateful. Though the fact is I don't know what to be grateful for. Fred's never explained to me just what it is that makes my safety the highest priority. However in this moment I didn't feel like asking him for the hundredth time. I just let him hold me and let the sting getting hit subside.

"I'm sorry for hitting you." Fred would whisper and giving me a comforting squeeze. "I kinda lost a bit of my temper."

I would laugh half heartedly. "Ya you did but I deserved that. I'm sorry to and we can talk more about this later."

Fred would pause a moment and then say. "Why not now Lily?"

"Well isn't Toad still down stairs by himself." I'd ask, looking up at Fred with a raised eyebrow.

He shrugs. "Yes but he's still eating and fanning over Wanda." Fred raises a hand to touch my face. "But he doesn't matter to me right now, you do. We should talk at least…I'd like to if you're willing." I let all of his words sink in or at least try to get them to. At first I thought that they wouldn't because I was thinking about everything that has been going on. Throw this whole thing with Toad I've tried to not lose sight of what Fred said to me earlier. That as long as we are together on this vacation then it's still okay, and I still believe him. There was just the problem now of Toad, just what were we going to do about him. Not just that point now either…Fred just told and did something to me that was huge. I just got spanked…how on earth did that just happened to me?

I take in a deep breath before I speak. "First," I start off by saying. "Just what are we going to do with Toad now that he is here?"

Trucker took that moment to pause, not sure at first what to say. I was just hoping that he wasn't going to say that he should stay here, that would just get to weird. This was my vacation with my boyfriend, not my boyfriend with one of his friends. Then again I didn't want to start sounding like the kind of girlfriends that could a real bitch. That just wasn't who I was and Fred knows that. If it came down to it I wouldn't say no for Toad not being able to stay, there was just no point in spending money on sending him home right now. My train of thought was broken when Fred shrugged. "Well I think the best thing to do is for him to stay…where else can he go?"

"Home," I say and shrug also. "But I don't want to take the time right now in sending him home. Do you?"

"No, at least we can set plenty of rules for him." Fred said with a grin and then he turn serious again. "But I don't want him to be anywhere near you without me there okay?" I look at him funny and he sighs. "Aprill I'm serious. You know I'm protective of you and after the stunt he pulled along with his comment…I don't want him to touch you." That's when it hit me just what Fred was saying. He's really upset about Toad being here and what he's done to me. His request isn't a hard one and its do able. The fact is I feel the same way; it was really creepy for that to happen to me. All things considered Toad is harmless but I don't want to start proving that wrong.

I would nod finally at his request. "That is do able, I'd actually feel safer with you nearby with Toad here." Then I would pause before I would go into the next topic. "Fred…" I would look up into his face. "You…I can't believe you just…spanked me just then."

He blushed and looked away for a moment. With a deep breath he would start talking but wouldn't look at me. "I'm really sorry Aprill, really I am baby it's just…frustrating. I went throw so much for you to finally get my feelings for you. Then we are always fighting about how I want to keep you safe. Aprill don't you get it by now or is it that hard to get?" That's when he looked at me. "Baby…the Brotherhood is one of the biggest threats to our kind, to mutants and you…your one of the powerful ones. I've known that since we were kids and don't say you're not damn it." He says when I start to open my mouth. "You are part of the immortal family for fucks sake, everyone who knows about your family's drug wants it and you know that. And Magneto may not show it but he wants it to, wants you. I joined the Brotherhood because I knew that if I was on that side, I would prevent certain things from happening to you, to anyone. "

I'm shocked at how much power is in his voice. Then just when I think he's done he isn't. "And you know what gets me every time I come home, every damn time?" That's when he puts me on the bed and gets up. He starts to pace in front of me and I could feel the tension in the air. It was so thick that it was hard to breath. "What gets me is that a good part of the time at the end I don't get a proper thank you from you. All you do is argue and yell at me and what do I do…I suck a lot of it up because I'm in love with you and no matter how mad I get I'd never hit you. But today I just…I'm just torn, I love you too much to ever give you up but you make me feel like I shouldn't hold you so dear to protect you like I do. That you're not even…" A tear goes down his face and walk over to the window. "That you're not even grateful…happy that I love you so much to protect you like this."

I'm left sitting on the bed in tears, not able to speak. I had no idea he was that…mad at me. Why did I do that…be so mean to him like that. I've never wanted him to feel that I'm ungrateful or that I don't care. It was really hard for me to hear all of that but it needed to be said. I would have been even more hurt if Fred kept it to himself for that much longer. I look down at my hands and cry a little more. In those moments I flout off our bed and sit in mid air. I don't feel worthy of touching anything…even Fred. In my crying I changed my mind and placed myself on the floor. From there I turned into a cat and hid under the bed. I just couldn't stand being human, it didn't feel right. Minutes passed before I saw feet at the edge of the bed. The feet soon turn into Fred's face. He must have seen me turn into a cat and blindly run under the bed. I stare at him with my watery eyes and give a small meow.

He sighs and holds out his massive hand. "Come on out baby girl, I can see your upset." I'd push my face into my paws, a way for saying I can't face you, I haven't earn it. Fred would sigh again and not move his hand. "Please pretty girl, you look so broken and that hurts me." There was a plea in his voice that time and it hurt to hear it. Fred was right, I do feel broken but I couldn't bare to hear him plea anymore. Slowly I get out from under the bed and sit in the middle of the floor. Once there I turn back into human form.

He slowly gets up and moves to sit behind me. I choke on a sob. "I'm so sorry…I'm…sorry your mad…I don't deserve this…" He would be behind me now and I'd look up at him. Tears are all over my face. "I don't deserve you…"

"No baby…"

"I never meant to sound ungrateful…I'm sorry…I just…I just didn't want you to get hurt because of me. Because…" I take a shaky breath. "Because I'm in love with you to…"

Things got quiet then when I said that. I don't think I've ever said to Fred, that I'm in love with him. I know that I've said that I love him so much that it hurts, which is true. Though in this moment I wanted to give the fullest truth on just how I felt about him. At first he didn't move but just stared at me in wonder. I must have really blown him away with that statement. Once the shock passed he took a hold of me and brushed away my tears. "I'm sorry I upset you Aprill. I just…I just didn't know how else to get my point across. But," Fred leaned down and kissed my cheek. "Don't say you don't deserve me because we deserve each other. We were made for each other baby and I love you so much." He kisses me again and sighs. "How about this, I'm going to put Toad into a spare room and when I come back, we do what we did this morning?"

I blush and my heart fills with warmth at the thought of another make out session. I couldn't help it, I smile and node. "I'll be waiting for you handsome." I pause. "I'm really sorry though…I am grateful and thank you."

He smirked at me and gave me once last kiss before he got up. Soon he was out of the room and I was left alone. With a deep breath I got up from the floor and got onto our bed. I was glad that all of those things were off our chests. It was a good feeling, something that Fred and I should do more often. I lay myself on the bed, waiting for him to come back. Looking down at myself, I wondered if this was still an okay out fit to wear. A plain button down shirt and jeans, I shrug figuring that it would do. With a huff I choose to sit up on and sit on my legs. I raise my hands to the first button on my shirt and undid it. I was working on the third button when the door opened. My eyes shot up to see that Fred had finally come back. I blush when his eyes move to what I was doing. He smirks at me and moves to climb in bed with me. In one move his is above me, kissing me and I couldn't have been happier.

The sun is starting to set as she finishes her potion. Wanda knew that it had to work, it just had to. It didn't matter what that bitch of an immortal will do, this would happen. Her room was cold as she stood in front of her work. In front of her and her work was a large window with a clear view of the sun starting to set. She looked over her shoulder to see that her brother was standing there watching what she was doing. "What!" She snapped at the silver boy.

He didn't even flinch. "This is the stupidest thing I've ever heard. It won't work."

"Shut up brother, it will, it has to. That girl will pay for humiliating me and ruining fathers plans. I will get her for this." Wanda hissed at her brother and looked back at the potion. It was a dark purple color and spinning slightly in a wooden bowl.

Silver rolled his eyes. "But it's not even for her, why do it if it's not…"

Her hands started to glow a bright red color and she pointed them at her brother. "I said shut up. Once the sun has set, the spell will be casted and will do my bidding."

Almost an hour passes and the sun is nearly gone. With a deep breath Wanda prepares herself for the moment the sun is no longer in view. Closing her eyes for a moment she pictured her target and what she wanted changed. Once that was in her mind she opened her eyes, the sun was gone from view. With another deep breath she blew over the top of the potion. The potion turned to dust and flew out the open window into the early night.

All that I knew was everything was dark in the room, that and it was warm. With a huff Fred rolled onto his back so that I could get on top of him. Once there I leaned down and kissed him again. His hands were all over me again with blistering warmth. I had completely lost track of time, everything was lost in his scent and warmth. There was no light in the room but I was still able to see. With a moan he pushed me back down on the bed and kept on kissing me. Two hot kissing sessions in one day is simply amazing. I closed my eyes and let the passion take hold of me. A few minutes later there was a flash of light exploded in the room. My eyes opened at once looked to the window. I saw that it was suddenly raining outside but…there was no rumbling of thunder. Puzzled I turned back to see that I couldn't see his massive frame over me anymore. Slowly I lean over the bed and flip on the lamp on the night stand. Fred was no were to be seen.

"Freddy?" I looked across the room in all directions and couldn't see him. There was no way a big guy like him could be hiding so easily in the room. "Fred come on out, I want to keep kissing." There was nothing, everything was quiet. With a sigh I got out of the bed and when I did that I hear d meow. I freeze, checking myself if I really heard that but then I heard it again. I turn around to face my bed to see that there was a large brown tabby that must have jumped onto my bed. The kitty was shaking and looking up at me with deep chocolate eyes. My head tilts to one side in wonder and sit down on my bed. I raise a hand to the cat and make a kissing sound. "Come here little one. Don't be afraid, where did you come from?"

The tabby gave another feeble meow. It tried to walk toward me but it kept stumbling. My heart feels heavy sat the sight, thinking that maybe the poor baby is hurt. Slowly I crawl on the bed toward the tabby and stork it's face. It meowed helplessly at me and pushed its face into my palm. I was so confused, how could a cat get in here. I have never seen this cat before in the castle, it's so strange. Getting up a little on the bed, I check the cat over. As it turned out it was a tom and wouldn't stop meowing at me. In human form I couldn't understand what he was saying. But as I look over his pelt something stuns me, Fred's scent was come off the cat. I look up from the cat and around the room again. "Fred!" I call. "Is this your idea of a surprise gift?"

The tom meowed loudly at me when I said that had to my shock, shook it's head. Like he was really human and shook his head at me. From there he kept meowing and stared at me with watery eyes. There is something at the back mind that is telling me that this cat is…is Fred somehow. I give a shaky laugh and look fully into the cat's eyes. They are a lot like Fred's eyes… "Freddy? Is that…is that you baby?"

He looked me right in the eyes and gave me a nod, his way of saying yes and meowed. My heart sank, there was just no way. I've never seen an animal do this before. With a sigh I turn into a colorful American short hair. The tom is quiet now and I take a deep breath. "Freddy?" I meow.

His ears fall and he looks like he's going to cry. "Aprill…Aprill I…"

"Shhh," I purr, moving forward and brushing my pelt with his. "It's alright baby just stay calm, don't panic. How did this…"

"I don't know," Fred howls. "One moment I'm me, kissing you and then this…Aprill why am I am a cat…I'm a little scared here."

I keep purring and lick his cheek, the closest thing to kissing him at the point. "Hush baby…I'm right here, I'm not going to leave."

"How is this possible?" Fred whimpers. I lie next to him and let him lean again me. "You're the shape changer not me…and I don't know how you like being an animal it feels weird."

"I just got used to it, part of who I am." I tell him as I keep on purring. Inside I'm freaking out, how the hell did this happen. Why the hell was my boyfriend a cat! Everything that added up to this moment didn't make sense. "Freddy, can you focus and see if you can change back?" I ask him in a whisper. He looks at me and closes his eyes. For a couple of moments everything is quiet except for the rain outside. The silence keeps on lasting until Fred opens his eyes and completely deflates

He gives a pitiful meow and pushes his face into my shoulder. "I can't do it baby…I can't change back."

"Shhh," I say softly to try and calm him. "We'll fix this, you'll see…"

"What if I'm stuck like this Aprill?" Fred says in a panic. "Then I can't…I can't kiss you anymore or…or hold you anymore." He pauses as a deep groan comes from his chest. "Oh Aprill I have so much pinned up inside me…just like before you figured out my feelings…god it hurts. And this had to happen in our making out to…damn it."

"Oh Freddy…" I say and push myself closer to him. "I'll call my parents in the morning I promise. Do you…do you want me to stay in cat form with you so you can sleep."

Trucker sighs. "Doesn't matter, as long as you don't leave me."

"I wouldn't." I say and pull away. "Here let me try something." I turn back to human form and jump off the bed. I look in my night stand for paper and something to write with. Once I do I write out A through Z on the page and show it to Fred on the bed. "Point to each letter on the page to spell out what you want to tell me while I'm in human form. How does that sound?"

Fred looks at the page and nods. At once he points to letter slowly so that I can write them down as he goes. Once he is down he looks up at me and waits for what I have to say. I look fully at what I wrote and take in a heartfelt sigh. _I love you, I miss you already and this space between us is killing me. _I put everything on top of the night stand and get under the covers. Fred follows me and snuggles up close to me. I pet his head and give him a kiss between his eyes. "I love you to Freddy and I feel the same way." He meows softly at me and rubs his head into my chin. With a sigh I place my head on the pillow and close my eyes. I'm tired and I couldn't wait for it to be morning. Once it was first light I would call home and get help for Freddy.

Slowly my eyes opened again and it was no longer dark in the room. I look slightly down to see that the brown tabby tom was still curled up next to me. So it wasn't a dream…Fred was really turned into a cat last night. My mind reeled with all the moments that lead up to him turning last night. All the kissing, the sudden rain fall, the flash of light and all I knew was what happened wasn't natural. There was no way that his powers would mutate in this way. To go from super strong and durable to a tabby cat, no that just didn't make sense. This was why I need to call home; hopefully they would have the answer. I slowly started to get out of bed with a yawn and trying not to wake Fred up. I look around the room until I find my phone. Once I find it I sit back onto the bed and ring up my mom. She answers the phone on the third ring and I jump into the story right away. It takes me about five minutes or more to get all the details in, leaving out being half naked and stuff. When the story was over my mom is quiet.

"Mom?" I ask into the silence.

I hear a rustle on the other end. "Aprill I'm going to get your father okay…and tell him what you told me. I'll call you right back. "

"Okay…" Before I know it mom hangs up on me and I have to wait. She was quiet for most of my explaining. It didn't surprise me that she was at a loose with what I just told her. However she seemed to know a little something that might be able to help. I hear a meow from behind me and I look to see that Fred is up and pawing at the piece of paper from last night. With a smile I reach over and grab what I need to record what Fred is going to spell out. _Morning, how are you baby?_ My smile grows and I lean forward to kiss him on top of his head. "Morning, and I'm alright. You?"

_Alive at least. What's going on with your mom?_

"She's surprised at the situation and seems to have an idea on what to do. It's just she told me to hold on while she goes and talks to my dad. I should be getting a call from them soon. Are you hungry honey?" I explain to him and then ask.

_Yes, every much so. Please tell me you're not going to give me cat food._ Fred looked really put out when I looked at him with a frown. It was just crossing my mind that now that Fred was a cat…what was he going to eat. However I think that giving him what he would normally eat should be just fine.

I shake my head at him. "No you're not going to get cat food baby. I'll cook some food for us. Do you want to come down stairs with me?" It was hard doing this with him. The pain was all over his face and it heartbreaking for me to see that. He would nod and hops off the bed. At first he still stumbled in his walking and I did my best in helping him. I don't remember the time when I had so much trouble moving in animal form. I've always felt that it was pretty easy to do but seeing Fred trying it…it didn't seem that easy anymore. He would shake his head no when I tried to pick him up. Very slowly he would get the hang of walking and once we got to the stairs is when I carried him. Once in the kitchen I would start to make something to eat. Fred would be sitting in one of the chairs, watching me. After a few moments I would hear footsteps and see that Toad was out of his room. It looked like he took a bit of a shower, so that he didn't look completely gross. He would pause at the sight of me and look around the room. There was fear in his eyes and it looked like he tried to keep it together.

"Umm," Toad would behind him twice and then back at me. "Where is Fred?"

My heart sank again, how was I going to get Toad to understand this one. "Well…you see…somehow Fred turned into a…a…a cat."

Toad raised his eyebrows at me, a look on his face like I was completely crazy. He opened and then closed his mouth a few times. With a sigh I would point to Fred sitting in the chair, who was looking at Toad with his ears back. The brotherhood member would eye the cat with mild wonder. Then he'd look at me once more. "Your high."

I shrugged. "Ask him yourself."

His face would screw up with multiple emotions as he'd look back at the cat. He would touch his chin, looking like he was weighing his options. Five minutes would pause before he would take his hand from his face. "Fred?" I would look at Fred then to see him hold his head up high and give Toad a firm node. Toad would jump a little and almost scream. "What the hell you trying to pull Aprill?"

"Nothing," I'd snap. "I don't know what's going on here either. But that cat there is my boyfriend. What more to do you want him to do?"

"Hmm," He would touch his chin again and take a good look at Freddy. Then he'd once again look at me and smirk. "Well there is one way." With two hops Toad would be right in front of me. I'd gasp as his scent slammed into me. Toad smelled like trash and his raised both of his hands slowly. "If that was really Dukes," Toad would whisper, looking over his shoulder a moment at Fred. "He'd beat me to a pulp for this." Suddenly his cold hands were cupping my chest. I'd pal, unable to move due to my shock. My eyes would shot to where Fred as still sitting. This time Fred was on all fours, the hair on his spine sticking up. His ears flat on his head and eyes narrowed. Fred would crouch down and then spring. With a yowl Fred would cling onto Toads back and start to climb. Toad would yelp in surprised pain and jump away from me. However Fred wasn't done, he would climb till he was clinging to Toad's chest. Once he was there he would start to claw at Toads face. With more screaming Toad would fall backwards on the floor and try to get Fred off his face.

At first I couldn't help but smile. This had to be one of the funniest moments in my life. I couldn't help but think that maybe having a cat for a boyfriend wasn't so bad. With Toad still screaming I'd give a small laugh and walk over to Toad. I'd kneel down next to him and took hold of Fred. He would still be spitting in anger but would pause to see who took hold of him. His body would go limp when he saw it was me. I would smile at him and cradle him in my arms. Slowly Fred would start to purr and I'd kiss him on the nose. I'd then look down to see that Toad's face was covered in claw marks. He would bleeding and looked like he got defeated in a Pokemon battle. I would giggle. "Now do you believe me Toad?"

With a deep breath he would whimper. "Yes, could you please help me stop bleeding now?"

"Sure." I would say and put Fred back on the chair. He didn't look happy that I was going to help Toad but I smiled. I would kneel in front of the chair and rub Fred's cheeks. At first he looked really pleased with getting the attention but then his ears would fall. He would look at me and I could see all the sadness that he expressed last night. Trucker would meow a pitifully and push into my hand. _He wants to hold me, he wants to kiss me…oh baby, my poor baby._ I thought to myself while I kissed his forehead. "I know baby, I know it hurts." He would whimper at me and lick my hand. This was going to be really hard for the both of us, but I think that Fred will take it harder. With a small smile I'd kiss him once more and go get the first aid.

Toad would flinch as I would clean up the marks on his face. We would be sitting on one side of the table in the kitchen with Fred sitting the table next to me. He would be eating the bacon and eggs that I gave him. After a little bit Toad would push my hand away. "How could this be real? There is no way that Fred could just turn…like you can."

"I know but I just don't know…" I was interrupted by the ringing of my phone. I would pull it out and answer. "Hello?"

"Hey baby," The voice of my father answered me. "You okay?"

"Kind of…did mom explain to you…"

"Yes your mom told me everything. We have a friend that will be able to help you. However it will take at least a week or more to find him."

I would sigh and look at Fred. He had stopped eating and was listening to what my dad was saying. "Who is going to help us daddy?"

"His name is Dr. Stephen Strange. Sweet heart we believe that someone has put a curse on Fredrick." My heart dropped to the floor at the thought of Fred being put under a curse. There was only one person that came to mind who could have done this to Fred. The thought of that witch made my blood boil.


	29. Chapter 28: Strange

Chapter 28

Strange

I was getting shacked as I started to open my eyes. "Aprill are you okay?"

My vision starting to focus and I saw Fred looking down at me. I blinked at him, hadn't he turned into a cat last night. "Freddy…"

He took in a deep breath of relief. "Hey, morning beautiful are you okay?"

"Ya…" I said slowly and looked around. I was still in our bed room and Fred didn't have a shirt on. "Didn't…didn't you turn into a cat last night?"

Fred's eyebrows came together in confusion. "No…turning into a cat is your thing baby. Bad dream huh?"

I really wasn't sure what to think, the whole thing felt so real. But I guess it was just a really weird dream. I didn't want to press the thought any more than that, Fred looked stumped enough. That was when my phone buzzed. I leaned over to the night stand and looked at my phone. It was a text from my dad, _Your mother and myself are flying to meet you for a visit. We'll see you soon sweet heart. _"Freddy it looks like my parents are coming for a visit."

"Oh really, that's pretty cool." Fred said with a smile and started to get out of bed. We both got dressed and went to stairs for food. It took about a few hours before I heard a knock on the door. I walked to the door and was greeted by a bright smiling face. It was my father's face and he embraced me at once. "Papa it's so good to see you."

"It's nice to see you as well sweetheart." He said softly and broke the hug first. My mom come up close behind and also hugged me.

During the course of the day Fred and I hung out with my parents. It was nice to spent time with my parent and would have been better if Fred was human. The four of us sat around in the living room. My mom and dad sat close together while I sat in front of them. Fred sat down next to across from them. The conversation was light at first. My parents talked about vacations that they have gone on, the history behind the castle and advancements with the company. I talked about what had been going on back home with the X-Men and the Brotherhood. I mentioned some cute moments between Fred and myself. Then I fully up dated them, leaving out some details about our vacation and what happened with Wanda and Silver.

After a couple of minutes my dad cleared his throat. "I have some news for you Aprill."

"What is it daddy?" I asked said after I took a bit of my pizza.

"It's about back home and what has happened after the robot attacked you guys." My father explained and I froze. The thought about the attack still scared me. Especially the part where I was taken to a lab for study and Fred came to save me. In my lap I could feel that Fred tensed that the mention of the attack. Trying to gain control of myself, I stretched between his ears to sooth him. Father continued before I could say anything. "People have been buzzing with talk about how to handle mutants. Your school is debating on letting you guys to continue to go to school there or not. The professor stressed to your mother and me that we should get you home as soon as possible."

My heart sank at the news, I didn't want to go back yet. I still want to enjoy a little more vacation with Fred. "But dad…I want to stay a little longer. Can't someone else deal with what is going on?"

"Honey there is no other option." Dad said sternly. "You kids are the future of mutant kind. The stands have to be made now that mutants are not a threat and that we come in peace. You are our daughter and we are very important people, your mother and I. Charles felt it would be best for you to be the one to make the stand or at least help Jean out with what to say." When I sighed in defeat my dad softened. "I know you want to stay sweetie but you know you can't stay here forever...well…" My dad paused, seeing what he just said.

My mom elbowed him in the gut. "Oh Wilson don't start saying that."

"Regardless," Father cleared his throat in embarrassment. "They really need your help back home honey. The public needs to know that mutants aren't dangerous. I want to be sure that my daughter will be able to live in this world without constantly running for her life. That and as soon as your friends got back to the mansion…they were attacked. They had been on the run for a while and now they are back home and have to face the same call."

No matter how much I wanted to protest in staying I knew my dad was right. It wasn't just the people that were fighting the robot that got shaken up. Humans all over got worried and scared. That and I didn't know what to say about them being attacked at the mansion. All I remember was being saved by Fred at the labs and was taken to my parents soon after. I haven't been called by any of the X-men in a while and I was glad for it. It gave me the change to enjoy my vacation while I could. Now it seemed there was no way to avoid not going back home. With a sigh, I nodded at my father. "Alright Daddy…I'll go back home. Let's just get Fred better and then we can start getting ready to leave."

Later that day we said good bye to my parents. Fred and I spend that night alone in our room. I told him everything that my father said about us needing to go back. He didn't like it either but he made our last night alone magical. Freddy cooked us dinner by candle light and we cuddled up in bed to watch a movie afterwards. When the movie was over he caught my lips with his and we finished where we left off two weeks ago. This time there was no thunder or flashes of light. We made out until two in the morning and then passed out. By morning we had breakfast and packed our things. Once it was noon I got a text from my dad saying that the jet was just about to land in front of the castle. With all of our things packed and outside, we walked outside hand in hand for the jet. Within ten minutes it landed and was able to board. Our things were put in the jet and we made ourselves comfortable inside. It took a couple of hours to get back home and it only felt like an hour. Fred and I made small talk while in the jet. We talked about how we could set up date nights while being at home. We both knew that once we got to the airport that we'd go separate ways. It was really hard to think about that, since we had spent so much time with just the two of us. However we knew that there was nothing that could be done about that. Toad on the other hand slept the whole way there. At times I forgot he was there but then I would hear him snore a little. Of course my heart fell when we landed at the airport and got out. Our bags were going in different directions and I saw the X-men waiting for me. The Professor and Jean waited with a sign with my name on it. A couple of feet away stood Lance with a sign as well. Toad had already hopped out of the jet and over to Lance. Once there he got a hit over the head and yelled at. I knew that both parties waited on edge for us and I sighed.

I looked up at Fred with a frown. "I'm going to miss you…" I trailed off, not wanting to cry.

He gave me a soft smile and pulled me into his arms. "I know, but we'll see each other soon, I promise." With a gentle squeeze he kissed me before pulling away. I grasped onto him and held onto him for dear life. Before long I had no choice but to let go. It was very sad but…I knew that for right now this was how it was. We walked forward, hand in hand until we had to go to our separate parties. Once I was with the Professor and Jean, I looked back at Fred. He patted Lance on the shoulder and Lance was smirking a bit. As we started to walk away from each other I turned around and called out. "I love you Trucker."

Fred paused and looked back at me. There was a smirk on his face. "Love you to baby."

The rest of the day had gone by pretty fast. I was updated on everything that was going on. Things were getting troubling with human's knowing that there were mutants out there. There was meeting that was going to be held tomorrow about letting mutants going to public schools. Jean had already had a speech ready and everything. The Professor wanted me to say a few words, seeing how I came from an important family. I knew that this whole thing was important but I felt it was over kill to have me speak after Jean. I told the Professor that I would think things over about if I wanted to say anything or not. Until the meeting however, we all still had to go to school and I wasn't happy about it. From what I heard the Brotherhood had been banned from school and that included Freddy. I thought that I would at least be able to hang out with him there. Oh well, I thought, there was still all the dinner dates that we planned. Tomorrow would be my first day back at school and I wished that it wasn't.

I was wake and ready as I could have been that morning. All of us had something to eat and were off to school. At first I didn't think that it would be that bad but I was wrong. Once we were on school grounds and walking to the front doors, everything stopped. Everything looked at all of us as we made our way to the door. I looked around and most of the people I could talk to were glaring at me. I turned around to see that Kurt wasn't with us. He was standing and talking normally with the other students. I remembered that Kurt was in his normal form in the attack, no one must have guessed that that blue haired monkey was him. It was sad, Kurt looked torn between being normal and being with us. I looked away from Kurt and looked at what was a head of me. We were all still getting those looks once we got the front doors. Out of nowhere Duncan came and stood in front of Jean. "Hey Jean, I just wanted to let you know that this doesn't change a thing." He said with a smile.

I forgot that those two were kind of together. It was so typical that he would flirt with me while he was with Jean. "It doesn't?" Jean looked at him confused.

"Sure," He continued to smile and laced an arm around her shoulders. "I'm willing to over look your problem completely."

That is when she got mad. "Problem?" Jean frowned and her eyes hardened over. She pushed Duncan away but instead of taking the hint, he took hold of her again.

"Ya, besides we can totally put your mind reading powers to good use. Like during exams or…"

Jean fully moved away this time and I thought she would blast him against the wall. "You…you…you…grrr. We are so done." She said hotly and took hold of Scott's hand. They walked past Duncan and the rest of us fallowed after. I was the last one in the door and he took hold of my arm.

"What about you baby, you still going out with that wide loud?" Duncan smirked and looked like was going to give me a kiss. The every thought made me sick and I pushed his face away from me.

"Freddy is ten times more of a man then you super star. Get over yourself." I almost hissed at him but I pulled back as much as I could. Flipping my hair in his face I walked into the school. From then on, things could have gone better. Going to class wasn't the funniest thing in the world anymore. People in my morning English and Science class glared at me. Some throw paper at me when I answered a question right. Others throw a fit when I was put into a group with them or was a pointed to grade quiz's in the group. They complained and sneered that I would fail them from them not being mutants. That if I got to close to the lab equipment, something would explode. Mainly in English I was getting notes passed to me, saying that I was kissing a whale. That I was going to be crushed under my boyfriend's weight. That I was a slut, or a chubby chaser for going out with Freddy. By the end of my second class I was rung out. I thought I would be able to handle coming back, but I never thought that people could be so hurtful. I knew that a lot of people were shocked that I was dating Freddy but…I never heard stuff like that. With a sigh I went to my locker and looked throw my things. There were tons of papers that fell out. I picked up of few and a lot of them said what I already heard. This was just not my day.

By this point I really want Fred with me. He would be my rock through all of this. However he was banned from school and there was nothing he could do about that. I made a point to call him after school so I could see him. I really needed his comfort right now. Just as I finishing cleaning up my locker and throwing away the letters, I heard a voice. I got a cross way near my locker that looked down the main hall way. I would walk over to the cross way and look down the hall. At first I couldn't believe that I was seeing. It was Lance, Toad and Freddy, walking into the school and pushed people over as the pasted. I heard them saying that they were back, big mutants going throw. At first I didn't want to get in the middle of it, seeing how Freddy was just doing what the others were doing. However I saw that Lance ran into some guy and turned on him. He had him up by the collar of his shirt and yelling about if he was a mutant funny or something. I had enough when I saw that.

I walked up to them and tapped Lance on the shoulder. By this point the guy Lance was yelling at ran off. "What the hell was that? Are you out of your mind?"

Lance glared at me. "What is it to you cupcake. Why don't you mind your own damn business?" I was shocked at Lance's tone. He has never been that mean to any of us before. Something was up for sure but I didn't want to ask. If I asked I had feeling Lance would cause a scene. "So run along little lady and leave the men to their business."

I was so shocked that I turned around and looked up at Freddy. I thought he would have punched Lance for saying that to me but he just stood there. "Freddy…" I walked up to him but he held his hand up to stop me.

"You heard him, get going, this doesn't concern you baby doll." Fred said evenly and my heart sink.

"Baby doll? What the hell. You're just going to let him talk smack about your girlfriend?" I was pissed off, this didn't have to deal with what we talked about on our vacation. I understood why he was on the Brotherhood side but this…it just wasn't right. Fred didn't even make it sound like he was looking out for me and trying to get me to stay out of trouble. It was then I felt paper getting paper thrown at me again. Some of the girls whispered slut as they passed. The boys called out chubby caser and made jokes to Fred. They said he should watch his step or else he could step on me. If Fred rolled over on me then I was done for. I frowned and blushed in embarrassment. I looked up at Fred, begging him with my eyes to help me.

I think after one too many jokes Fred glared at the guys, raising his fist. "One more word about my girl and you'll be the pancakes." They didn't think he would do anything about it, but when he took a step toward them they ran off.

I slumped where I stood and whimpered. "Oh Freddy…" I fell forward a bit and Fred caught me up in his arms. It felt so good to be back in his embrace, I didn't think I missed it this much until now. "I've had such a horrible morning."

"I'm sorry Lily," Fred whispered in my ear and hugged me close. "Be strong, I'll take you out to eat when this is all over. I promise."

I nodded sadly and pulled away so that I could reach up to kiss him. He took my kiss willingly and we ignored all the remarks about it. I didn't care what they said, I love him and that's all that matters to me. After a couple of moments Fred pulled away from me but I could tell that he didn't want to. He nodded to me, in his way of saying that he would see me later. I had a bad feeling that I would, at the meeting tonight. I also knew deep down that no matter how much Fred would want to be on the side for mutants to go to school, something in the Brotherhood may tell him otherwise.

"Hey Blob," Lance grunted. "Stop sucking face and let's move out." With that Lance started to walk away and scared people as he went. Toad was after that and Fred was last. He waved to me and gave me a heart breaking smile. Ya, I thought, I think we both know that we are going to have a rough day. I went through the rest of the day trying to ignore everything. It ran through the school fast that the boys that expelled were back in school. That and me kissing Fred in the main hallway, it was sickening. People started to throw drawings at me now. Me kissing a whale, me crushed under Fred's weight. I wished that I could burn these without a lighter but…there was no point. Those letters kept coming till the school day was over. When school was finally out I got out of there as fast as I could.

Once I was outside, people didn't take any more notice in me. They just went their own ways and hung out with friends. At first I thought that Fred wouldn't show and that I would have to go back to the mansion broken hearted. However just when I thought I would have to go home, someone tapped on my shoulder and when I looked behind me it was Freddy. I smiled weakly at him. "I'm so glad to see you." I closed the pace between us with a hug. He held me close and stroked my hair.

"I know," He whispered. "Come on, that's get out of here baby." He led me to where he parked his car. Fred opened the passenger side door for me and I got in. Soon he was in the driver's seat and was driving away from the school. "I'm sorry what you had to go throw today baby. I'll do my best to cheer you up."

I smiled at him. "Thank you, you already are. So where are we going."

"I have called for pizza hut to delivery pizza to the Brotherhood house. I would take you out to dinner properly Aprill but…" Fred cut off short and focused on the road. I know what he was trying to say. There was no place that we knew off that would let us eat in their place. The school wasn't the only place where mutants were bullied, from what I heard. It was a miracle enough that Fred was able to order take out. After a couple of minutes he pulled into the Brotherhood house and we got out. Lance and Toad got there a little after that. They didn't like the fact that I was there at first. However when Fred told them that he ordered enough food for all of us, they shut their mouths. When we heard a knock on the door I took the money that Fred was going to pay with and answered the door. I figured the one of the most normal looking people here should answer. It was a guy holding seven pizza boxes. He looked at me and smirked, liking what he saw. I winked at him and gave him the money. He gave me my change, the pizza and I gave half the change back to him as a tip. The guy seemed pleased with himself and I waved good bye as I shut the door.

Fred figured out which pizzas went where. Four of the seven pizzas went up with Fred and me, the rest stayed with Lance and Toad. When we got to his room he set things up so that we could cuddle up. I set up my laptop to watch a movie. It wasn't much, we could be doing a lot better but it was still very peaceful. When everything was set up, Fred handed me a slice of cheese pizza and patted for me to sit next to him. I did and as I eat I leaned into him with a sigh. "This is relaxing."

"Very much so, what do you want to watch?" Fred asked as he started to look through _Netflix _on my laptop. I shrugged and he started to look through the romantic comedies. "I think that you need a good laugh and something girly."

I nudged him. "You're turning soft Mr. Dukes."

He nudged me back. "That's what happens when you fall in love Ms. Fisk." I smiled at him and kissed his shoulder. After a while we finally picked something and cuddled up on the bed. The movie was almost two hours long and once it was almost over it was six thirty. I sighed after a funny moment when I heard my phone buzz. I looked to see that I got a text from Jean. It said that the meeting at the school would start in an hour and that I should get ready. I sighed but sadly this time. Fred looked at my text and frowned. "You don't have to leave yet. Let's give it fifteen more minutes and then I'll take you home." I agreed and snuggled up again. Once our time was up, we cleaned up and he took me home. With a good bye kiss, he drove off and I got ready for the meeting. Jean was already there with all the parents and the school board. The other X-men and I were a little late in getting there. By then Jean was okay to handle the whole thing and wanted us there to support her. I was okay with that as Scott parked the van near the school. We all walked the rest of the way and we got into the parking lot next to the building where the meeting was being held, I was nervous.

And it looked like I had every right to be. We couldn't make it to the front doors before a car pulled up in front of us. I was stunned to see that it was Duncan. He looked pissed off when he got out of his car and glared at the five of us. "We have some unfinished business Summers. Just you and me, man to man." I growled at him, what the hell was he playing at?

Even walked up to Duncan and got in his face. "We are not going anywhere."

Duncan smirked. "This is just between Summers and me, but I figured you would say that." He raised his hand to his lips and whistled. I was wondering at first why he looked like he was calling a dog. But then I saw Toad hop from behind a van nearby. After Toad was Lance and after him was Freddy. I knew that something was going to happen, I didn't want to fight them right now. This whole event was important and I couldn't let the Brotherhood stop us.

Toad laughed. "Looks like there's four of us and four of…" He saw that I was standing there and frowned. "Hey I thought she wasn't going to be here yo?"

"It doesn't matter," Lance growled. "We aren't afraid to use our powers, so guess what is going to happen now."

"So this is who you are huh," Kitty spat and walked up to Lance. She pointed a finger at his chest. "You're nothing but a hood and a lier."

I saw the look of pain on Lance's face. I had almost forget that those two have feelings for each other. However Kitty was in the same boat with me when it came to caring about a Brotherhood boy. The two of us had to fight against our boys because they just wouldn't try and turn a new leaf for us. I knew why Fred wouldn't but I didn't know why Lance wouldn't for Kitty. His face hardened after a moment and he pushed her finger away. "You're right, I will never be good enough for you."

The look on Kitty's face was painful to see but there was nothing I could do right now. Lance already started the attack and we all had to be ready. "Remember, don't use your powers." Scott yelled as he let Duncan push him back as they fought. Toad and Lance went after Kitty and Rogue, which left me with Freddy. With a grunt he charged to me and I dodged out of the way. It looked like it would just be Fred and me now, though I would have to help my friends soon.

"I'm not surprised you know." I huffed as I moved away from him trying to punch me. "Why do the Brotherhood want to fight now?"

"It's Duncan," Fred grunted as he gripped a car and lifted it over his head. He throw it over to were Rogue was and she moved out of the way just in time. The ground around us starting to get turned over and still shaking a bit. Lance stood clear of most of the fighting, sense all he had to do to cause damage was to create shockwaves. My friends were moving out of the way of parts of cement, cars, lamp posts and slim balls from Toad. "He talked with Lance and wanted to make a partnership. They both hate Scott to all hell, heck so do me and Toad. So Duncan said that we should help him get Scott kicked out."

I gapped at Fred. "But by the way it's going all of us could be kicked out of school and future mutants. Don't you guys see that?"

"I do," He grumbled, steadying himself when Lance created another shockwave under our feet. "I don't want you kicked out but I have to follow orders."

I growled at him. "I thought you changed!"

"I have," He yelled and throws a couple more punches at me. He missed each shot. "But look Aprill, none of you are fighting back like you normally would." Fred had a point; I looked back again to see that all the X-men were running around what Lance, Toad and Duncan were doing. "There still might be some hope for you guys. At least I hope so baby but I'm sorry, I have to keep fighting."

Fred tried to get a hold of me, to make it look like he was really fighting as hard as the others were. I jumped away from him and Fred kept on coming at me. I ducked and pushed Fred's punches away. He even tried to throw things at me. I would watch to see where what he through landed and was glad that no one was hurt yet. The fighting kept on going, Lance just wouldn't stop shacking the earth and soon I heard screaming coming from inside the building. I looked to see that people were coming out and were starting to get in the way of the fighting. I saw the professor and Jean, who were both shocked by what they saw. Things were starting to get out of hand and people could be hurt. I suddenly saw my friend's use their powers to help the people being caught up in the mess. I jumped clear over Fred's head and ran to get people out of the way of large pieces of pavement and cars. My friends were doing the same and tried to stop the Brotherhood at the same time. I got people out of the way as fast as I could. I watched as Scott saved Duncan and Kitty saved the principle. At the end of all the fighting, I stood with the other X-men at the front of the building.

"Let's get out of here." Lance ordered and started to run off, Toad not far behind. Freddy paused a moment and looked at me. I held a hand to my heart at the pained look in his face. I mouthed, call me and made the hand jester. Fred seemed a little less pained at the sight of that and smiled. "BLOB, move your ass now!" Lance yelled from the other side of the parking lot. With a sigh he turned and ran off with the others. Scott looked at me and gave me that mean look he always gave me.

"Don't cover for him Aprill, Blob has everything coming to him for this." Scott growled and looked at Kitty. "Same thing for Lance."

We both ignored him and just focused on what was going on. Things settled down fast and I has happy about that. Once things were cleared we all went home and I couldn't wait to get into my room. It had been a long day between school and the fight. I didn't think that I would be able to see Fred for a while with Scott being a jerk. At least I was okay with the fact that Fred called me right when I got into my room. He told me that things were going to get complicated again after tonight. I hated hearing the news but it was something to be expected. He told me that we would do another date in the next two days. That lighten my spirits and I couldn't wait. After a couple of hours we said good night and I went to bed. The next day at school was the same as yesterday. Everyone was pissed about what happened at the parking lot. The Brotherhood was completely banned from school now. It was sad, I didn't want Fred to miss out on going to school. I almost felt like teaching him some of the material on our dates. It would give us a reason to meet up and we would be happy to see each other. Duncan was pretty pissed off today as well but I ignored him. He also ignored us which made my job a lot easier. It didn't feel as long of a day like yesterday. When school was over I walked out and was ready to be picked by Scott or Jean in the van. However, I was surprised to see Fred waiting by the road. He was leaning against his car and when he saw me he smiled. It looked like I was getting my own way home, one that would piss off Scott.

I walked up to him and I let him take hold of me. He kissed me softly and smirked. "So how was it? Are you guys able to stay?"

I sagged when he asked about staying at the school. "I don't know yet, I think I'll find out when I get home."

Fred nodded sadly and gave me a bear hug. "I hope you get in, I'm so sorry if you don't baby."

"I know…" Was all I could say while I let him led me into his car. We drove a around for a little while and got some fresh air. It was nice of Fred to do that for me. Things somehow got way easier now that we talked over vacation. Soon however I knew that I would have to go back home. Fred knew that as well and haft and hour of driving around, he took me home. I said my goodbyes and kissed him. Once inside I found out that the school board ruled that we could go back to school with no real worries. And for the next couple of weeks everything was returning to normal. I mostly stayed home and trained the new X-men. The other's handled some of what the Brotherhood did and that ancient mutant. I really didn't know much about it, and at some points I was glad about that. He had a puppet that could control people to do his bidding. I remember hearing about Jean and Kitty getting under his spell to steal rings for him. Personally I was glad that I has put in charge of training, I wanted to stay out of the fighting zone for a while. I just didn't have the spirit to do it after my vacation with Fred and what happened when we got back. Things around town had got better with mutants being around. Fred and I went on more dates when he didn't get pulled into doing something for the Brotherhood. I heard from him that Silver was home and he was put in charge of the place. He didn't like that at all because Silver was slave driving everyone. That and Silver wanted to put an end to the X-men, seeing how they could never defeat us. They wouldn't be able to but Fred was still hating to spit shine Silver's shoes. He made Fred cook all of his meals and that made both of us angry. When I would come over to hang out with Fred, Silver would throw a fit. He demanded that Fred was banned from seeing me and that I was keeping Fred from feeding him. The whole thing made me sick.

One night I slapped Silver across the face for calling me a bitch. "Stop bossing my boyfriend around you shit head." Fred was pretty impressed that I did that and took me up to his room before Silver could blow up. It was explained to me that Magneto was starting to build a new team and was giving the Brotherhood here a chance at joining. Fred wasn't too happy about it. He wanted to get closer to Magneto to protect me and everyone better, however the Brotherhood kept losing and he couldn't bring himself to beat me up. Beyond all of that, things were going along pretty well, until I found out a month after my vacation that the ancient mutant was free. The thought of such a powerful mutant on the loose scared me. Things seemed to start taking a turn of the worst. I didn't want to think about the mutant at all and anything I wanted to know I wasn't getting. Well I couldn't really get mad when there wasn't that much information to begin with. I tried to go about my day to day actives without much thought about the subject. I knew that at some point we would have to stand up fully to the mutant. If the X-men didn't want me to fight I still would. I was an X-men after all and didn't want this mutant around either.

After a long Wednesday in the middle of the second month back from my vacation, I was glad training was over of the day. I texted Fred once I was crashed on my bed. I didn't know if he was going to be free tonight but I hopped so. As I waited for a text, I looked at my night stand. My gothic rose was still in the same place I placed it before I went to training this morning. It shined at me in the dim lighting and I smiled. I didn't want to wear it to training in the fear that it would break. However now that I was back I was more than okay with wearing it again. I don't remember a time when I wasn't wearing it. It has gotten to the point now that I don't even feel it on me, almost like the rose became a part of me. As I was starting to sit up, and put it on I heard a scratch at my window. I jolted at the sound and turned to see what caused it. At my glass slider windows/doors, stood a girl. She had short blood red hair and powerful green eyes. Wearing a t-shirt and jeans, she had knives strapped to her legs. Along with that I saw a hilt of a sword poking over her left shoulder. Around her waist she wore a lick leather cord, kind of like a belt. However I saw a wooden handle dangle from her hip. It took me a moment to figure out that she wore a whip as a belt. What I found amazing is that she kinda looked a lot like me, in the face and body. That and I have seen her before; at least I thought I had. If I was right, she came in out of nowhere at Camp Redwood.

With a smirk she taps her finger on the glass, wanting me to open it. With a growl I get up and put the gothic rose around my neck. I open the door slightly and glared. "What do you want?"

"Hey now, is that any way to say hello." She joked. "You remember me don't you?"

"How the hell did you find me here?" I growled. I haven't thought about her or the older man with her since that day. There had been more important things to worry about around that time. Dating Silver, dealing with Freddy, leaving the Brotherhood and the list goes on.

She was still smirking at me. "That's for me to know and you not to find out. Do you even remember my name?"

"Do you even know mine?" I hissed back.

"Aprill Lyn Fisk, daughter of Samantha and Wilson Fisk. Samantha is the super hero Wildfang and Wilson is the ex crime lord, King Pin." I stared at her in shock. "My name is Fenix Ember Fisk, we're related but our parents didn't tell you that, did they?"

I got past my shock quickly and snapped. "I'm an only child, don't play games with me."

"Oh?" Fenix said, raising an eyebrow that was the same color as her hair. "Do I have to keep going? You ran away from home when you were five. You found the run down monster truck place where Uncle John hung out with your best friend and now lover Fred Dukes."

"How…how do you know all that?" I said slowly, stepping onto the balcony fully and closed the door.

"I have my ways, that and recently I've been looking out for you. See I'm not going to get into details on how…"

"Tell me now." I sneered, not liking how she was playing games with me.

Fenix's eyes narrowed at me. "Oh? Fine then. We, Aprill, are twins. I was kidnapped the day we were born, actually a couple seconds after I was born. Sabortooth was hired to do that by our step-brother, who you met before. Him and I have one thing in common, we hate our mother for corrupting our father."

"WHAT!" I exclaimed. "Mom didn't corrupt him, they fell in love…"

"Bullshit," Fenix spat. "Our father was a very rich and powerful man. But then he chose to give all that up for one stupid bimbo…"

At the words of calling my mother a bimbo I lunged forward. Fenix didn't see it coming in time and I scratched her face with my finger nails. I put enough force into it to draw blood and Fenix looked impressed. She scuffed at me and raised a hand to her cheek. It wasn't bleeding that much about after a couple of minutes, the wound started to close up. "I'm just like you sis, just I can't turn into normal animals like you. We are the immortal daughters of the Fisk family. Difference there is, I want our mother out of the picture, dead and get our father back."

My eyes narrowed. "Your insane, father would never go back to crime, even if you got what you want."

"Oh is that what you think, is it?" Fenix purred, taking a step closer to me. Tension, power and evil pulsed off her in waves. Her every presence gave me shivers. "Tell me something then, what would you do if you lost the love of your life?"

I froze and actually thought about it. What if Fred…what if he died? What I do with my life then. I could picture me being in horrible pain, lose and the world would suddenly be…dark. "I…"

"You'd die inside basically." Fenix cut in with a smirk. "You see, without Samantha, father will be easy pickings to turn back to nor…"

"You're a cold hearted bitch," I snarled and took a step forward. There was very little space between us now. I glared into her green eyes and hissed. "If you know what's good for you, leave, before I kick your ass across this town."

My sister hissed back at me. "I'd love to see you try."

With a grunt a throw a punch into her side and Fenix yelped in pain. Snarling I pushed forward, breaking the stone railing and falling with my sister in front of me. It took a few moments to before Fenix recovered. She pushed and pulled until she got her foot in my gut. She kicked off me, making my fly throw the air and landing on the ground hard. I let out a gasp and slowly started to get off the ground. Fenix on the hand landed on the ground with ease. She looked at me with narrowed eyes and raised a hand to the hilt of the sword on her back. With a smirk she pulled it out and pointed it at me. There was sick gleam in her eyes, like she was dying for this moment to run that sword through me. Fenix blotted forward, the tip of her sword aimed at my heart. Out of nowhere something slammed into Fenix, making her drop her sword and flying off to the side.

"…Freddy?" I had to do a double take but there he was. I wasn't sure where he came from or why he was here in the first place. However in this moment it didn't matter, he just helped stopped Fenix from killing me and I was grateful for that. As I was starting to get up I heard a high pitch screech and looked to see that it came from Fenix. She glared at the two of us, she bright red hair on fire.

"Oh how cute," She snarled. "It looked like you take after your whore of a mother. She's corrupting you Dukes," Fenix spat. "You could be a great help to Magneto if you just got rid of her."

"Well taught shit," He sneared. "The next time you come after Aprill, I'm going to break your neck, understand?"

I wanted to puck, Fenix shivered in a way that looked like she liked what he just said. "Oooo, you're a mean one aren't you Blob. Listen, whenever you get tired of that X-men tramp, come looking for me. I'll be waiting…"

"Get the hell out," I snarled. "Now!"

"I would but…" Fenix smirked, and it was the most evil intended smirk I ever saw. "You are needed for something every special." She snapped her fingers and suddenly things happened really fast. A metal bar flow from across the yard and slammed into me. Once it made connected with my body it coiled, gripping onto me like a vise. When the metal bar was fully around me it was filled into the air and pulled in the diction it came. I looked to see that it was Magneto, but he looked different. His helmet was forgotten, letting his white hair fly around his face. There were blue lines etched into his face, neck and hands. All the lines seemed to meet up at some point and pool into his eyes, which were a glowing blue. I screamed, trying to pull out of the metal. But it was too tight on me. I looked down to where Fenix and Freddy were.

"FREDDY." I screamed, hopping he could do something.

Fred was about to run forward but was stopped by Fenix's sword. "There's no point Blob, she will become the final part of my master's plan."

He looked at her. "What are you talking about?"

As soon as Fred spoke, two more metal bars shot out from where the first came. The slammed into the mansion, searching. I could hear screams and things shattering from inside the building. Before long people were being dragged out, Storm and the Professor. "NOOOO." I screamed, soon they were flown up next to me.

Fenix laughed as a metal disk hovered over to her. She stepped on the disk and was brought to where I was. "The age of the apocalypse is near and you three are the keys to his army. You will become his front soldiers, ready to do his bidding whenever he calls upon you."

I looked at Fred one last time before a bright blue light took over my vision, causing me to black out…looking sense of everything around me.

NOTE: Hello everyone, so sorry for the long delay on this chapter. RL sucks lol. But anyway, this is going to be the second to last chapter of book one of the WildFang Chronicles. That's right, I said book one, there will be two more books to come of this fanfiction. I hope to go throw the chapters of this first book and fit errors and make things pretty. I also hope in the next two weeks that the final chapter for this book will be out. Once that is out, I would say almost a month after that I'll start posting up book two.

ALSO, I hope to pick up on the other three fanfictions that I'm writing. I'm also hoping to start mapping out other fanfictions that I want to write but that is all in the near future. My main goal is to finish book one and start writing book two. The other fanfiction will come around the same time, if not sooner than the second book. Thank you all to the people that have stayed with my main story for this long. I am so glad that so many of you have really loved my story and I hope that you all will enjoy the ending, along with what may come in the second book. As always, thank you so much and I hope to see you all in the last chapter.


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